Hierarchical multinomial modeling to explain individual differences in children’s clustering in free recall

Abstract

The measurement of individual differences in cognitive processes and the advancement of multinomial processing tree (MPT) models were two of William H. Batchelder’s major research interests. Inspired by his work, we investigated developmental differences between 7-year-old children, 10-year-old children, and young adults, in free recall with the pair-clustering model by Batchelder and Riefer (1980, 1986). Specifically, we examined individual differences (in initial levels and in change across multiple study–test trials) in cluster encoding, retrieval, and covariation with three basic cognitive abilities: semantic verbal understanding, short-term memory capacity, information-processing speed. Data from two developmental studies in which 228 participants freely recalled clusterable words in four study–test cycles were used for reanalysis. We combined two model extensions not linked so far (Klauer, 2010; Knapp & Batchelder, 2004). This novel combination of modeling methods made it possible to analyze the relation between individual cognitive abilities and changes in cluster encoding and retrieval across study–test cycles. Inspired by William H. Batchelder, this work illustrates how MPT modeling can contribute to the understanding of cognitive development.