A masking field network F.sub.2, is characterized through systematic computer simulations serves or a content addressable memory. Masking field network F.sub.2 receives input patterns from an adaptive filter F.sub.1 .fwdarw.F.sub.2 that is activated by a prior processing level F.sub.1. The network F.sub.2 activates compressed recognition close that are predictive with respect to the activation patterns flickering across F.sub.1, and competitively inhibits, or masks, codes which are unpredictive with respect to the F.sub.1 patterns. The masking field can simultaneously detect multiple groupings within its input patterns and assign activation weights to the recognition codes for these groupings which are predictive with respect to the contextual information embedded within the patterns and the prior learning of the network. Automatic rescaling of sensitivity of the masking field as the overall size of an input pattern changes, allows stronger activation of a code for the whole F.sub.1 pattern than for its salient parts. Network F.sub.2 also exhibits adaptive sharpening such that repetition of a familiar F.sub.1 pattern can tune the adaptive filter to elicit a more focal spatial activation of its F.sub.2 recognition code than does an unfamiliar input pattern. The F.sub.2 recognition code also becomes less distributed when an input pattern contains more contextual information on which to base an unambiguous prediction of the F.sub.1 pattern being processed. Thus the masking field embodies a real-time code to process the predictive evidence contained within its input patterns. Such capabilities are useful in speech recognition, visual object recognition, and cognitive information processinGOVERNMENT SUPPORTThis invention was made with Government support under AFOSR-85-0149 awarded by the Air Force. The Government has certain rights in this invention.