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Related Experiment Videos

The relation between resource limitations and optional conceptual processing by children and adults.

B P Ackerman1, K Spiker, K Bailey

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Delaware, Newark 19716.

Child Development
|October 1, 1989
PubMed
Summary

Children sometimes avoid easy cognitive tasks. This study shows that making word identification harder can improve children's optional conceptual processing, aiding memory recall.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Children and adults may not always engage in conceptual processing they are capable of.
  • Understanding factors influencing optional cognitive engagement is crucial for educational strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how word identification difficulty impacts optional conceptual processing in second/third graders, fifth graders, and college students.
  • To examine the interplay between task demands (obligatory vs. optional processing) and word processing difficulty on memory recall.

Main Methods:

  • Four experiments used a cued recall task with word triplets (easy vs. hard processing) and varying orienting activities (Oddity Choice vs. Read).
  • Word identification difficulty was manipulated by controlling stimulus clarity (degraded, partially degraded, intact).

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  • Recall advantage for hard over easy triplets measured contrastive processing; recall performance indicated processing depth.

    • Main Results:

    • Contrastive processing significantly enhanced recall across all age groups.
    • Increased word identification difficulty led to greater engagement in optional conceptual processing.
    • The benefit of contrastive processing was more pronounced when word identification was more challenging.

    Conclusions:

    • Contrastive processing is a key factor in improving memory recall.
    • Making word identification more difficult can promote deeper, optional conceptual processing, especially in younger learners.
    • Cognitive task design should consider word difficulty to optimize learning and memory.