The Relationships between Memory Performance, Use of Simple Memory Strategies and Metamemory in Young Children

Abstract

This study investigated the relationships between metamemory, the use of simple memory strategies and memory performance in children aged 4 to 5 years. Children carried out two memory tasks (memory span for pictures, free recall of toys), and their recall and use of strategies while carrying out these tasks was recorded. They also completed two metamemory tasks: predicting memory performance and responding to a nonverbal questionnaire concerning knowledge about memory-relevant variables. The metamemory questionnaire scores were significant predictors of memory performance in both tasks. In addition, some of the strategy variables were negative predictors of performance. Off-task behaviour reduced recall, as did naming (an unexpected result), for free recall of toys. Naming items at recall (but not at presentation) reduced recall in the memory span task. There was also some positive evidence that children who consistently named pictures at presentation had higher memory spans than children naming at recall only or using no strategies at all. It was concluded that both metamemory knowledge and the use of simple strategies are significantly related to memory performance in young children, but that these relationships are modest.