Effects of experience and reminding on long-term recall in infancy: remembering not to forget

J Exp Child Psychol. 1995 Apr;59(2):260-98. doi: 10.1006/jecp.1995.1012.

Abstract

We examined whether some of the factors that facilitate recall in older children also extend to 1- to 2-years-olds. Using elicited imitation we assessed the efficacy of verbal (Experiment 1), and verbal plus nonverbal (Experiment 2) reminding on 15-month-olds' recall after a 1-week delay. Reminding ameliorated forgetting: Performance at delayed and immediate recall was equivalent. The addition of nonverbal information did not enhance recall above verbal information alone. In Experiment 3 we investigated the influence of verbal reminding, repeated experience, and mode of experience (i.e., imitate vs watch only) on recall after 1 month. The effects of reminding depended on event type: Reminding facilitated recall of events with enabling relations, but not of events lacking them. Repeated experience and the opportunity to imitate facilitated recall; children who watched events only once nevertheless recalled them. Results suggest that the strength of organization of an event representation, rather than retention interval, is a major determinant of remembering during the second year of life.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Attention*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Imitative Behavior
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Memory, Short-Term
  • Mental Recall*
  • Psychology, Child*
  • Retention, Psychology*
  • Verbal Learning