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Implicit memory effects when using pictures with children and adults: hypermnesia too?
1Department of Psychology, Boise State University, ID 83725, USA. elandru@sspafac.idbsu.edu
The Journal of General Psychology
|January 1, 1997
Summary
Implicit memory for pictures is robust in children and college students, with performance potentially increasing over short intervals due to hypermnesia.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Implicit and explicit memory are key cognitive functions.
- Investigating memory phenomena using pictorial stimuli provides unique insights.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore implicit and explicit memory phenomena using pictorial stimuli.
- To compare memory performance across different age groups and time intervals.
Main Methods:
- Three experiments utilized pictorial stimuli during study and testing phases.
- Implicit memory was tested using picture fragments; explicit memory used yes/no recognition.
- Participants included children and college students, with varied testing intervals.
Main Results:
- Implicit memory for pictures was robust in children at 48 hours, declining after one week.
- College students showed similar implicit memory effects for pictures.
- Short intervals (1-5 days) in college students led to elevated implicit memory performance compared to immediate testing.
Conclusions:
- Implicit memory for pictorial stimuli is a durable phenomenon across age groups.
- The time course of implicit memory suggests potential enhancement over short periods, possibly due to hypermnesia.
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