The effects of word length on memory for pictures: Evidence for speech coding in young children

Abstract

In a series of three experiments children aged from 4 to 10 years old were presented with a serial recall task with pictures of common objects which had short or long names. Children of all ages showed consistently better recall of pictures with short names. This effect occurred without the pictures being named at presentation and was abolished by articulatory suppression. It is concluded, in contrast to some earlier studies, that children as young as 4 years are able to use a speech code as a means of memorizing pictures.