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A developmental trajectory in implicit memory is revealed by picture fragment completion.
Y M Cycowicz1, D Friedman, J G Snodgrass
1Cognitive Electrophysiology Laboratory, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Memory (Hove, England)
|May 23, 2000
Summary
Implicit memory, like explicit memory, develops with age. This study found a developmental trend in implicit memory performance in children and adults, challenging previous assumptions of early development.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Dissociations between implicit and explicit memory tasks suggest distinct neural underpinnings.
- Developmental differences are typically observed in explicit memory, but not implicit memory, leading to theories of implicit memory's primitive origins.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the developmental trajectory of implicit memory.
- To re-evaluate previous claims of fully developed implicit memory in young children.
- To compare the development of implicit and explicit memory across a wide age range.
Main Methods:
- Compared performance on implicit (picture fragment completion) and explicit (free recall, recognition) memory tasks.
- Included participants aged 5 to 28 years.
- Addressed methodological concerns like measurement error and ceiling effects in prior research.
Main Results:
- A reliable developmental trend was observed in implicit memory performance.
- Explicit memory performance also showed a developmental trend.
- Implicit memory development could not be explained by explicit memory processes.
Conclusions:
- Implicit memory, contrary to some previous findings, shows significant development with age.
- Both implicit and explicit memory systems mature over time.
- These findings challenge the notion of implicit memory as a primitive, early-developing system.