Memory retrieval by 18--30-month-olds: age-related changes in representational flexibility

Dev Psychol. 2000 Jul;36(4):473-84.

Abstract

Deferred imitation was used to trace changes in memory retrieval by 18-30-month-olds. In all experiments, an adult demonstrated 2 sets of actions using 2 different sets of stimuli. In Experiments 1A and 1B, independent groups of infants were tested immediately or after a 24-hr delay. Each infant was tested with 1 set of stimuli from the original demonstration and 1 set of stimuli that was different. Recall of the target actions when tested with different stimuli increased as a function of age, particularly after a delay. In Experiment 2, infants were provided with a unique verbal label for the stimuli during the demonstration and the test. The verbal label facilitated performance by 24-month-olds tested with different stimuli but had no effect on performance by 18-month-olds. One hallmark of memory development appears to be an age-related increase in the range of effective retrieval cues for a particular memory.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Child Development*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cues*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Memory*
  • Mental Recall
  • Psychomotor Performance*
  • Time Factors