### abstract ###
combining meaning  memory  and development  the perennially popular topic of intuition can be approached in a new way
fuzzy-trace theory integrates these topics by distinguishing between meaning-based gist representations  which support fuzzy yet advanced intuition  and superficial verbatim representations of information  which support precise analysis
here  i review the counterintuitive findings that led to the development of the theory and its most recent extensions to the neuroscience of risky decision making
these findings include memory interference worse verbatim memory is associated with better reasoning  nonnumerical framing framing effects increase when numbers are deleted from decision problems  developmental decreases in gray matter and increases in brain connectivity  developmental reversals in memory  judgment  and decision making heuristics and biases based on gist increase from childhood to adulthood  challenging conceptions of rationality  and selective attention effects that provide critical tests comparing fuzzy-trace theory  expected utility theory  and its variants e g   prospect theory
surprising implications for judgment and decision making in real life are also discussed  notably  that adaptive decision making relies mainly on gist-based intuition in law  medicine  and public health
### introduction ###
what are the cutting-edge approaches to judgment and decision making that will be influential in the next decade
which hot topics today will turn into the enduring foundational assumptions of tomorrow
these questions concern new investigators  as they place bets with their most precious commodity  their time  by choosing topics in hopes of making an impact on the field
however  although new investigators strive to be original and forward thinking  they are also counseled to conduct programmatic and cumulative research
that is  to make progress on important topics  scientists must build on prior accomplishments  their own and those of others
in this essay  i provide an overview of recent developments in one theory  and their origins in prior scientific research
moreover  the topics were chosen with a view to the future
these are my bets about which approaches have been productive and are gathering momentum
fortunately  these prognostications are more than simply my opinions barely more than that perhaps because they are based on the behavior of a community of scholars
these ideas continue to gain greater currency as our field searches for new paradigms and preoccupations  CITATION
what are the topics that i  and others  believe are taking off and will continue to progress
among the new trends  the most established topic-one that draws on a rich supply of prior research-is memory
researchers are increasingly turning to memory for explanations of judgment and decision making  CITATION
memory is much more than memorization  as i presently explain
a growing number of contemporary theories have memory as a common denominator  CITATION
development  defined as changes across the lifespan  is another topic that has gained ground
because of links to aging and to adolescent risk taking in psychiatry  public health  and neuroscience  this topic has surged in popularity  although it is less established within judgment and decision making  CITATION
notwithstanding that tversky and kahneman  CITATION  drew on piagetian cognitive illusions to characterize heuristics and biases  CITATION   theories of adult judgment and decision making are only now incorporating developmental results in their core assumptions
developmental results inform conceptions of whether choices are rational  adaptive  or good  CITATION
these results have been surprising
knowing that children reason rationally in the classic sense and that adults forego rational reasoning-which they are capable of-in favor of heuristics and biases casts explanations of judgment and decision making in an entirely new light  CITATION
last  the topic of meaning is the least established among the new trends
nevertheless  the concept of meaning has tremendous potential to organize thinking about judgment and decision making  to propel the field forward in new and original directions  and to effect practical changes in real-world behavior  CITATION
as sunstein  CITATION  advises   understanding of meaning and its malleabilitysuggests some tools that policymakers might use  p  NUMBER  and he exhorts public and private institutions to employ  meaning entrepreneurs  to move behavior in better directions
combining meaning  memory  and development  the perennially popular topic of intuition can be approached in a new way
fuzzy-trace theory integrates these topics by distinguishing between meaning-based memory representations-gist-and superficial verbatim representations of information
people use their memories to represent information even when the information is visible
intuition  in this view  relies on the meaning-based gist representations  but it is not developmentally primitive  CITATION
on the contrary  intuitive thinking underlies the most advanced thinking  CITATION
however  intuition produces meaning-based distortions in memory and reasoning
these distortions increase from childhood to adulthood  creating  developmental reversals   CITATION
these findings were predicted by the framework described here  CITATION   but they violate core assumptions of other dual-process and developmental theories  CITATION
in the section below on origins  i describe how this integrated account of meaning  memory  and development came about
