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Language and autobiographical memory development from 5 to 12 years: A longitudinal perspective
Llanos Merín1,2, Alonso Mateo3, Marta Nieto4,5
1Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Castilla, La Mancha, Avenida de Almansa 14, 02006, Albacete, Spain.
Memory & Cognition
|March 5, 2024
Summary
Preschoolers show a strong link between language skills and specific autobiographical memory. This connection weakens as children age, with vocabulary mediating early memory development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Linguistic Psychology
Background:
- Autobiographical memory development is crucial for self-identity.
- The relationship between language acquisition and autobiographical memory is complex.
- Previous research suggests early language proficiency influences memory specificity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To longitudinally analyze the development of autobiographical memory in Spanish children.
- To investigate the relationship between language skills and autobiographical memory specificity.
- To assess the mediating role of vocabulary in the age-memory specificity relationship.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study with 78 Spanish participants.
- Two repeated measurements at ages 5 and 12 years.
- Assessment of autobiographical memory and verbal functions, including vocabulary.
Main Results:
- Language skills positively correlated with autobiographical memory specificity at age 5, but not at age 12.
- Vocabulary mediated the relationship between age and autobiographical specificity in preschool years.
- The influence of linguistic differences on autobiographical specificity decreased after early childhood.
Conclusions:
- Preschool age is a critical period for the development of autobiographical memory and its connection to language.
- Once basic language command is achieved, individual differences in language skills have a reduced impact on autobiographical memory specificity.
- Language development significantly shapes early autobiographical memory, with vocabulary playing a key mediating role.
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