Search

Professor Mark Howe

Professor of Psychology

School of Health & Medical Sciences Department of Psychology and Neuroscience

Contact details

About

Overview

Prior to joining the Department of Psychology at City University London in 2013, Professor Howe was University Chair in Developmental Psychology and Co-director of the Centre for Research in Human Development at Lancaster University (2005-2012); Professor of Psychology, Dean of Research, Dean of Graduate Studies, and National Director of the Centre of Excellence for Children and Adolescents with Special Needs, at Lakehead University, Canada (1999-2005); and Professor of Psychology at both Memorial University (1985-1999) and the University of Victoria (1982-1985), Canada.

He has conducted research on memory and cognitive development for over 30 years and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles, chapters, and books. In addition, Professor Howe makes regular media contributions to television, radio and newspapers, and continues to give public lectures on memory and trauma, early memory development, and memory and the law. For over 20 years, he has served as a consultant on memory in the courtroom in Canada, the USA, and the UK, and regularly testifies about matters concerning adult recollections of early childhood experiences.

Professor Howe is currently the Editor of Memory. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society, American Psychological Association, Psychonomic Society, and Association for Psychological Science.

Research

Research interests

- Adaptive memory and its development
- Autobiographical memory
- False memory
- False memory priming of problem solving
- Mathematical and computational models of memory, reasoning, and their development
- Memory development in children and adults
- Memory and emotion
- Memory and the law
- Memory in traumatised and maltreated children

Recent research grants

- Economic and Social Research Council UK: "The development of priming analogical reasoning using true and false memories." Grant awarded to cover 2012-2015 (£480,000 for 3 years RES-062-23-3327; Mark L. Howe, Principal Investigator; L. J. Ball, Co-investigator).
- Economic and Social Research Council UK: "The role of retrieval processes in false recognition." Grant awarded to cover 2010-2011 (£96,000 for 14 months; RES-000-22-3561, with L. Knott and S. Dewhurst).
- Economic and Social Research Council UK: "The development of children's false memories." Grant awarded to cover 2007-2010 (£375,000 for 3 years; RES-062-23-0452).
- National Institute of Mental Health, USA: "Memory processes in abused and neglected children." (With Dante Cicchetti and Sheree Toth). Grant awarded to cover 2004-2009 ($1.54 million US/for 5 years; RO1-MH068413-01A1).

Publications

Publications by category

Books (12)

  • Otgaar, H. and Howe, M.L. (Eds.), (2017). Finding the Truth in the Courtroom. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780190612016.
  • Howe, M.L., Knott, L.M. and Conway, M.A. (2017). Memory and Miscarriages of Justice. Psychology Press.
  • Schwartz, B.L., Howe, M.L., Toglia, M.P. and Otgaar, H. (Eds.), (2014). What is Adaptive about Adaptive Memory? New York, US: Oxford University Press.
  • Howe, M., Brainerd, C.J. and Reyna, V.F. (Eds.), (2012). Development of Long-Term Retention. Springer Verlag. ISBN 9781461277026.
  • Howe, M.L. (2011). The Nature of Early Memory. OUP USA. ISBN 9780195381412.
  • Howe, M.L. (2011). The Nature of Early Memory. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195381412.
  • Howe, M.L., Goodman, G.S. and Cicchetti, D. (2008). Stress, Trauma, and Children's Memory Development:Neurobiological, Cognitive, Clinical, and Legal Perspectives. Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN 9780195308457.
  • Howe, M.L. (2000). The Fate of Early Memories. APA Books. ISBN 9781557986283.
  • Howe, M. and Pasnak, R. (Eds.), (1993). Emerging Themes in Cognitive Development: Foundations. Springer. ISBN 9780387978161.
  • Pasnak, L. and Howe, M. (Eds.), (1993). Emerging Themes in Cognitive Development: Competencies. Springer. ISBN 9780387978178.
  • Howe, M., Stones, M.J. and Brainerd, C.J. (Eds.), (1990). Cognitive and Behavioral Performance Factors in Atypical Aging. Springer. ISBN 9781461389491.
  • Howe, M. and Brainerd, C.J. (Eds.), (1988). Cognitive Development in Adulthood. Springer. ISBN 9781461283775.

Chapters (39)

  • Cooper, L.M., Howe, M.L., Wang, J. and Otgaar, H. (2024). The Development of Adaptive Memory During Childhood. Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Advances in Understanding Adaptive Memory (pp. 260-276). Oxford University PressOxford. ISBN 0192882570.
  • Howe, M.L. and Otgaar, H. (2022). The Counterintuitive Course of False Memory Development During Childhood. The Development of Memory in Infancy and Childhood (pp. 372-392). Psychology Press.
  • Courage, M.L. and Howe, M.L. (2022). Autobiographical Memory: Early Onset and Developmental Course. The Development of Memory in Infancy and Childhood (pp. 238-261). Psychology Press.
  • Otgaar, H., Howe, M.L., Brackmann, N. and Wang, J. (2021). When children are the worst and best eyewitnesses. Current Issues in Memory (pp. 256-271). Routledge.
  • Otgaar, H., Houben, S. and Howe, M.L. (2018). Methods of Studying False Memory. Research methods in human memory New York: Routledge. ISBN 9781138217959.
  • van de Ven, V., Otgaar, H. and Howe, M.L. (2017). A Neurobiological Account of False Memories. Oxford University Press.
  • Otgaar, H. and Howe, M.L. (2017). When Spontaneous Statements Should Not Be Trusted. Oxford University Press.
  • Otgaar, H. and Howe, M.L. (2017). Deception and Memory in the Courtroom. Oxford University Press.
  • In Puri, B. and Treasaden, I. (Eds.), (2017). Forensic Psychiatry. In CRC Press.
  • Otgaar, H., Howe, M.L., Brackmann, N. and Wang, J. (2017). WHEN CHILDREN ARE THE WORST AND BEST EYEWITNESSES Factors behind the development of false memory. FALSE AND DISTORTED MEMORIES (pp. 23-38). ISBN 9781138832022.
  • Howe, M.L., Threadgold, E., Wilkinson, S., Garner, S.R. and Ball, L.J. (2017). THE POSITIVE SIDE OF MEMORY ILLUSIONS New findings about how false memories facilitate reasoning and problem solving. FALSE AND DISTORTED MEMORIES (pp. 130-142). ISBN 9781138832022.
  • In Nash, R.A. and Ost, J. (Eds.), (2016). False and Distorted Memories. In Psychology Press.
  • Howe, M. (2015). Memory development. In Lerner, R.M., Liben, L. and Mueller, U. (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology and developmental science (pp. 203-249). New York, US: Wiley.
  • Howe, M. (2013). Feats of early memory: Courtroom tales of what adults claim to remember about early childhood events. In Holliday, R. and Marche, T. (Eds.), Child Forensic Psychology Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9780230577084.
  • Otgaar, H., Howe, M., Schwartz, B.L. and Toglia, M.P. (2013). What is adaptive memory? In Schwartz, B.L., Howe, M.L., Toglia, M.P. and Otgaar, H. (Eds.), What is Adaptive about Adaptive Memory? New York, US: Oxford University Press.
  • Howe, M. and Derbish, M.H. (2013). Adaptive memory: Survival processing, ancestral relevance, and the role of elaboration. In Schwartz, B.L., Howe, M., Toglia, M.P. and Otgaar, H. (Eds.), What is Adaptive about Adaptive Memory? New York, US: Oxford University Press.
  • Otgaar, H., Howe, M., Smeets, T., Raymaekers, L. and van Beers, J. (2013). Memory errors in adaptive memory. In Schwartz, B.L., Howe, M., Toglia, M.P. and Otgaar, H. (Eds.), What is Adaptive about Adaptive Memory? New York, US: Oxford University Press.
  • Howe, M. (2013). The co-emergence of the self and autobiographical memory: An adaptive view of early memory. In Bauer, P.J. and Fivush, R. (Eds.), Wiley-Blackwell Handbook on the Development of Children’s Memory New York, US: Wiley-Blackwell.
  • Howe, M.L. (2012). Distinctiveness Effects in Children's Memory. Distinctiveness and Memory
  • Howe, M. and Courage, M.L. (2009). Autobiographical memory: Individual differences and developmental course. In Gruszka, A., Matthews, G. and Szymura, B. (Eds.), Handbook of Individual Differences in Cognition Springer. ISBN 9781441912107.
  • Courage, M.L., Howe, M., Ilkowska, M., Engle, R.W., Kossowska, M., Orehek, E.... Brzezicka, A. (2009). Individual differences in working memory and higher-order processing – The commentaries. In Gruszka, A., Matthews, G. and Szymura, B. (Eds.), Handbook of Individual Differences in Cognition (pp. 419-439). Springer. ISBN 9781441912107.
  • Howe, M., Courage, M.L. and Rooksby, M. (2009). The genesis and development of autobiographical memory. In Courage, M. and Cowan, N. (Eds.), The Development of Memory in Infancy and Childhood (pp. 177-196). Taylor & Francis US. ISBN 9781841696423.
  • (2008). The genesis and development of autobiographical memory. In The Development of Memory in Infancy and Childhood (pp. 189-208). Psychology Press.
  • Howe, M., Goodman, G.S. and Cicchetti, D. (2008). Prologue: Turning science into practice. In Howe, M.L., Goodman, G.S. and Cicchetti, D. (Eds.), Stress, Trauma, and Children's Memory Development:Neurobiological, Cognitive, Clinical, and Legal Perspectives (pp. 1-8). Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN 9780195308457.
  • Howe, M. (2008). The nature of infantile amnesia. In Byrne, J. (Ed.), Learning and Memory: A Comprehensive Reference, Four-Volume Set (pp. 287-297). Academic Press. ISBN 9780123705044.
  • Howe, M. (2006). Distinctiveness effects in children’s memory. In Hunt, R.R. and Worthen, J.B. (Eds.), Distinctiveness and Memory (pp. 237-257). Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN 9780195169669.
  • Howe, M., Toth, S. and Cicchetti, D. (2006). Memory and developmental psychopathology. In Cohen, D.J. (Ed.), Developmental Psychopathology, Developmental Neuroscience (pp. 629-655). Wiley. ISBN 9780470048191.
  • Howe, M. (2004). Early memory, early self, and the emergence of autobiographical memory. In Beike, D.R., Lampinen, J.M. and Behrend, D.A. (Eds.), The Self And Memory (pp. 45-72). ISBN 9781841690780.
  • Howe, M. (1998). Opinion (on infantile amnesia). In Williams, W.M. and Stephen J Ceci, P. (Eds.), Escaping the Advice Trap Andrews McMeel Publishing. ISBN 9780836252156.
  • Howe, M., Courage, M.L. and Peterson, C. (1996). How can I remember when "I" wasn't there: Long-term retention of traumatic experiences and emergence of the cognitive self. In Pezdek, K. and Banks, W.P. (Eds.), The recovered memory/false memory debate (pp. 121-149). Academic Press. ISBN 9780125529754.
  • Howe, M. and Pasnak, R. (1993). Shifting conceptions of cognitive development. In Howe, M.L. and Pasnak, R. (Eds.), Emerging Themes in Cognitive Development: Foundations (pp. 267-276). Springer. ISBN 9780387978161.
  • Pasnak, R. and Howe, M. (1993). New approaches to the development of cognitive competence. In Howe, M.L. and Pasnak, R. (Eds.), Emerging Themes in Cognitive Development: Competencies (pp. 219-240). Springer. ISBN 9780387978178.
  • Howe, M., O'Sullivan, J.T. and Marche, T. (1992). Toward a theory of the development of long-term retention. In Howe, M.L., Brainerd, C.J. and Reyna, V.F. (Eds.), Development of Long-Term Retention (pp. 245-255). Springer Verlag. ISBN 9781461277026.
  • Howe, M., Kelland, A., Bryant-Brown, L. and Clark, S.L. (1992). Measuring the development of children's amnesia and hypermnesia. In Howe, M.L., Brainerd, C.J. and Reyna, V.F. (Eds.), Development of Long-Term Retention (pp. 56-102). Springer Verlag. ISBN 9781461277026.
  • Howe, M. (1990). Development of a mathematical model of memory for clinical research applications in aging. In Howe, M.L., Stones, M.J. and Brainerd, C.J. (Eds.), Cognitive and Behavioral Performance Factors in Atypical Aging (pp. 3-36). Springer. ISBN 9781461389491.
  • Howe, M. and O'Sullivan, J.T. (1990). The development of strategic memory: Coordinating knowledge, metamemory, and resources. In Bjorklund, D.F. (Ed.), Children's Strategies (pp. 129-155). Psychology Press. ISBN 9780805803150.
  • Howe, M. (1988). Measuring memory development in adulthood: A model-based approach to disentangling storage-retrieval contributions. In Howe, M.L. and Brainerd, C.J. (Eds.), Cognitive Development in Adulthood (pp. 39-64). Springer. ISBN 9781461283775.
  • Brainerd, C.J., Kingma, J. and Howe, M. (1986). Long term memory development and learning disability: Storage and retrieval loci of disabled/nondisabled differences. In Ceci, S.J. (Ed.), Handbook of Cognitive, Social, and Neuropsychological Aspects of Learning Disabilities (pp. 161-184). Routledge. ISBN 9780898597974.
  • Otgaar, H., Howe, M. and Bücken, C. The Development and Correction of Children’s False Memories. In Goodman, G. (Ed.), The handbook of child witnesses: Improving psychological science and legal practice Washington, DC, USA: American Psychological Association.

Journal articles (220)

Professional activities

Editorial activity (6)

  • Howe, M. L., & Otgaar, H. (Eds.) (2014). Adaptive memory: The emergence and nature of proximate mechanisms [Special Double Issue]. Memory, 22(1-2)..
  • Conway, M. A., & Howe, M. L. (Eds.) (2013). Memory and the law: Case studies [Special Issue]. Memory, 21(5)..
  • Courage, M. L., & Howe, M. L. (Eds.) (2010). Television and toddlers: The medium, the message, and their impact on early cognitive development [Special Issue]. Developmental Review, 30(2)..
  • Howe, M. L., & Lewis, M. D. (Eds.) (2005). Development as self-organization: New approaches to the psychology and neurobiology of development [Special Issue]. Developmental Review, 25(3/4)..
  • Howe, M. L., & Courage, M. L. (Eds.) (2004). The nature and consequences of very early memory development [Special Issue]. Developmental Review, 24[1]..
  • .