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Induction of a memory retrieval strategy by young children
1Department of Psychology, University of Delaware, Newark 19716, USA.
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
|July 1, 1996
Summary
Children aged 7 and older can develop effective memory retrieval strategies with sufficient support. However, developmental differences emerge when retrieval cues offer limited guidance, highlighting the importance of monitoring for strategy induction.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Children's memory development involves understanding how they adapt retrieval processes.
- Strategy-utilization deficiencies are common in children's memory tasks.
- Cued recall tasks provide a framework for studying retrieval strategy modification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how children modify their retrieval processes in cued recall.
- To examine the role of retrieval support and cue type in strategy induction.
- To differentiate between monitoring and modification of retrieval strategies.
Main Methods:
- Children (7-12 years) participated in cued recall experiments with categorically related word triplets.
- Retrieval induction was measured by recall increases across study-test trials.
- Cue types (whole-context, part-context, noncontext associate) and acquisition variables were manipulated.
Main Results:
- Effective retrieval strategies were induced even in 7-year-olds under maximum retrieval support.
- Developmental differences in strategy induction were observed when retrieval cues were less informative.
- Monitoring retrieval processes is necessary but not sufficient for effective strategy induction.
Conclusions:
- Children can induce effective retrieval strategies when conditions provide strong retrieval support.
- The ability to monitor and modify retrieval processes shows developmental progression.
- Findings have implications for addressing strategy-utilization deficiencies in pediatric memory research.