Short-And Long-Term Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood

Abstract

Abstract The ability to remember people, objects, and events one encounters is critically important for effective functioning in the world. Remembering your mother's face, where you left your keys, and that it is your daughter's birthday tomorrow allow you to successfully manage your day, as well as your relationships with others. Questions about the processes of memory and how they develop are age old. In developmental science, research on memory has been prominent since the writings of Jean Piaget became available to English-speaking audiences in the 1950s and 1960s. This book focuses on recent empirical and theoretical advances in the study of memory development in infancy and early childhood. Both short-term and long-term memory are critically important for infants' learning about the world around them, as well as their development and maintenance of social relationships. Some of the most significant questions and concerns are addressed, with the aim of identifying areas of consensus and areas in which further theoretical and empirical work is necessary.