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Updated: Jul 10, 2026
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Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm
Published on: April 28, 2016
Verbal cues facilitate memory retrieval during infancy
1Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. hayne@psy.otago.ac.nz
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
|September 25, 2004
Summary
Verbal cues significantly enhance memory retention in 18-month-old infants, particularly when provided during memory recall. This suggests language aids early memory retrieval, even before full speech fluency.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Infant Memory
Background:
- Deferred imitation paradigms assess memory in pre-verbal infants.
- The role of verbal cues in early memory development is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how verbal information influences memory retention in 18-month-old infants.
- To determine if verbal cues affect encoding or retrieval processes.
Main Methods:
- 18-month-olds participated in deferred imitation tasks with varying verbal cue conditions.
- Infants were tested after a 4-week delay.
- Conditions included full narration, empty narration, narration at encoding only, and narration at retrieval only.
Main Results:
- Infants receiving full narration showed superior retention compared to those with empty narration.
- Verbal cues at the time of encoding did not improve retention.
- Verbal cues at retrieval significantly enhanced memory recall.
Conclusions:
- Verbal cues enhance memory retrieval in infants, not encoding.
- Language plays a crucial role in memory recall even in non-fluent speakers.
- These findings highlight the impact of language on early cognitive development.
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