Short term memory for serial order: unraveling individual differences in the use of processes and changes across tasks.

Gabriela V Koppenol-Gonzalez,Jeroen K Vermunt,Samantha Bouwmeester

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00589

Gabriela V Koppenol-Gonzalez, Jeroen K Vermunt + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00589

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Abstract

In this study we investigated whether we could distinguish the use of specific verbal and visual short term memory (STM) processes in children, or whether the differences in memory performance could be interpreted only in terms of quantitative differences. First, the number of processes involved in the responses on six STM tasks (serial order reconstruction) of 210 primary school children aged 5–12 years was examined by means of latent states. The number of items to reconstruct was manipulated to unravel quantitative differences in responses (high or low performance), and the similarity of the items was manipulated to distinguish qualitative differences in responses (verbal or visual processing). Furthermore, we examined how children changed from one type of process to another on tasks with list lengths of 3, 5, and 7 items by means of the dynamics between the latent states using a latent Markov model. The results showed that two latent states representing the use of specific verbal and visual STM processes could be distinguished on all the tasks. Moreover, two latent states showing merely differences in performance were also found. These findings underline the value of latent variable models to unravel differences between as well as within individuals in the use of cognitive processes.

Highlights

Short term memory (STM) processes have been the focus of cognitive studies for a long time and many researchers have found considerable differences in performance on verbal and visuospatial STM tasks in adults (Baddeley, 1986, 2000; Logie et al, 2000; Miyake et al, 2001) as well as in children (Hitch et al, 1989; Gathercole et al, 2004; Kane et al, 2004)
We examine whether the differences in memory processes between children can be interpreted in terms of qualitatively distinct verbal and visual processes, and we explore the changes in the use of memory processes within children as the task demands change
This study aimed at unraveling verbal and visual STM processes and examining the changes children show in the use of STM processes across tasks with increasing difficulty

Summary

Introduction

Short term memory (STM) processes have been the focus of cognitive studies for a long time and many researchers have found considerable differences in performance on verbal and visuospatial STM tasks in adults (Baddeley, 1986, 2000; Logie et al, 2000; Miyake et al, 2001) as well as in children (Hitch et al, 1989; Gathercole et al, 2004; Kane et al, 2004) It has long been assumed, that STM consists of qualitatively distinct verbal and visuospatial processes. It is important to take the task demands of verbal and visual STM tasks and their influence on performance into account (Avons, 1998; Avons and Mason, 1999; Ward et al, 2005)

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