Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2026
06:35
Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm
Published on: April 28, 2016
This cat has nine lives? Children's memory for genericity in language
Susan A Gelman1, Lakshmi Raman
1University of Michigan, Department of Psychology, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1043, USA. gelman@umich.edu
Developmental Psychology
|August 29, 2007
Summary
Young children retain memory for generic sentences, distinguishing them from specific ones. This suggests generic language forms a foundation for understanding abstract concepts and knowledge about kinds.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Linguistics
Background:
- Generic noun phrases are crucial for expressing abstract knowledge about categories.
- Understanding how children process and retain generic language is key to understanding conceptual development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether young children's memory includes the generic nature of sentences.
- To determine if genericity is preserved in gist memory, influencing recall of sentence type.
Main Methods:
- Four experiments were conducted with 280 preschoolers and college students.
- Participants listened to sentences presented in either generic or specific noun phrase (NP) forms.
- Recall was tested after a 4-minute distractor task to assess memory for sentence type and content.
Main Results:
- All age groups accurately distinguished between generic and specific NPs in recall, irrespective of NP detail memory.
- Memory for predicate content remained stable across generic and specific conditions.
- Memory for category labels was sometimes enhanced when sentences were presented in generic form.
Conclusions:
- Generic sentence forms are retained in long-term memory, even by young children.
- This suggests genericity plays a foundational role in building knowledge about abstract kinds.
- Findings support the hypothesis that genericity is an integral part of gist memory.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Mnemonic Devices
Mnemonic devices are cognitive tools that facilitate memory retention by linking new information to familiar patterns or organizational strategies. These techniques are beneficial for remembering complex or lengthy sets of information by simplifying and structuring them in easily retrievable ways.
Acronyms
Acronyms are created by using the initial letters of a series of words to form a new word or phrase. This approach condenses complex information into a single, memorable entity. For example,...
Acronyms
Acronyms are created by using the initial letters of a series of words to form a new word or phrase. This approach condenses complex information into a single, memorable entity. For example,...
01:22Language Development
Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
01:23Immunological Memory
Immunological memory, a pivotal pillar of the adaptive immune system, is responsible for the body's ability to remember and respond more swiftly and effectively to previously encountered pathogens. This remarkable feature is what makes vaccines so effective in preventing diseases.
What is Immunological Memory?
Immunological memory is an integral function of the immune system that allows it to recognize and react more rapidly and effectively to pathogens previously encountered. This feature is...
What is Immunological Memory?
Immunological memory is an integral function of the immune system that allows it to recognize and react more rapidly and effectively to pathogens previously encountered. This feature is...
01:27Language and Cognition
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
01:18Long-Term Memory
Long-term memory is a relatively permanent type of memory, capable of storing vast amounts of information over extended periods. Its storage capacity is generally considered unlimited.
Long-term memory can be categorized into two primary types: explicit and implicit memory. Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, involves the conscious recollection of information that we deliberately try to remember, recall, and articulate. This type of memory encompasses specific facts, events, and...
Long-term memory can be categorized into two primary types: explicit and implicit memory. Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, involves the conscious recollection of information that we deliberately try to remember, recall, and articulate. This type of memory encompasses specific facts, events, and...
01:23System of Memory
Memory is categorized into three major systems: sensory memory, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM). These systems differ in their capacity and the duration for which they can hold information. Sensory memory captures raw sensory input from the environment, holding it for just a few seconds or less. For example, on hearing a brief, loud sound, like a car horn honking, the sound seems to linger in the mind for a moment even after it stops. This is an instance of sensory memory...