The Development of Clustering in Episodic Memory: A Cognitive‐Modeling Approach. Issue 1 (4th September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Horn, Sebastian S.; Bayen, Ute J.; Michalkiewicz, Martha
• Is Part Of: Child development. Volume 92:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 239
• Page End: 257
• Publication Date: 2020-09-04
• Subjects: Child development -- Periodicals; Child psychology -- Periodicals; Child Development -- Periodicals; Child Development; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; Pedicatrics; 305.231
• DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13407
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0009-3920

Abstract

Abstract : Younger children's free recall from episodic memory is typically less organized than recall by older children. To investigate if and how repeated learning opportunities help children use organizational strategies that improve recall, the authors analyzed category clustering across four study‐test cycles. Seven‐year‐olds, 10‐year‐olds, and young adults ( N = 150) studied categorically related words for a free‐recall task. The cognitive processes underlying recall and clustering were measured with a multinomial model. The modeling revealed that developmental differences emerged particularly in the rate of learning to encode words as categorical clusters. The learning curves showed a common pattern across age groups, indicating developmental invariance. Memory for individual items also contributed to developmental differences and was the only factor driving 7‐year‐olds' moderate improvements in recall.