Modality Matters: Intact and Enhanced Memory Skills in Children From High-Stress Environments

Although adverse ontogenetic environments are associated with potential impairments in children's memory, recent research suggests that individuals can develop specialized skills to navigate such settings. We conducted a study on short-term memory (STM) and working memory (WM) among 357 children (176 females, M_age = 8.23 years, SD_age = 1.49 years) from two environments in Naples (Italy): Scampia, a neighborhood characterized by chronic socioeconomic hardship, and Pozzuoli, a comparatively lower-stress area. In Part 1, which used conventional abstract stimuli, Scampia children performed similarly to the Pozzuoli control group. In Part 2, which used social stimuli, Scampia children outperformed Pozzuoli peers in both STM and WM. These findings highlight the complexity of memory development, showing that children from high-stress environments can exhibit intact or even enhanced skills that are functionally relevant to the challenges of their surroundings.