The dissociation of repetition priming and recognition memory in language/learning-disabled children

Recent research has found that the performance of learning-disabled and non-disabled children is dissociated on explicit and implicit tests of memory (Lorsbach & Worman, 1989). The current study further examined this phenomenon by comparing language/learning-disabled (L/LD) and nondisabled children (NLD) on tasks measuring primed picture-naming and item recognition. Included within the design of the experiment was the manipulation of both presentation format (pictures or words) and retention interval (immediate or 1 day). Children were initially presented with pictures and words. Performance was measured both immediately and following a 1-day retention interval on a picture naming task, an item recognition task, and a supplementary measure of memory for presentation format. The magnitude of facilitation associated with primed picture-naming was found to be independent of item recognition performance. In addition, the effects of population (L/LD and NLD) and retention interval (immediate test or 1 day) each produced dissociations between the magnitude of naming facilitation and item recognition performance. Results were discussed in terms of their implications for our understanding of the nature of memory difficulties in L/LD children.