A reevaluation of a number of experiments suggests that normal and retarded persons differ on short-term memory tasks from the time of initial stimulus exposure. The hypothesis that memory differences are due to differential encoding as a result of more adequate rehearsal by the normal subjects is unacceptable. (Author/BW)

Two experiments were concerned with exploring the relative accessibility and availability of category information in retarded adolescents in comparison with CA equivalent nonretarded subjects. (Author/SB)

A protocol for screening the complex verbal, simple verbal, simple visual, and spatial working memory was tested on 125 persons with mild, moderate, and severe mental retardation. Results found the test discriminated well between levels of mental retardation, correlated reasonably well with IQ, and possessed relatively good test-retest…

A study examined memory for pictures and words in 16 adults with mental retardation and 24 controls. Pictorial superiority effects occurred in free recall and recognition for both intelligence-level groups. Correlational analyses indicated working memory span was primarily related to recall performance, irrespective of stimulus format. (Contains…

To learn if differences in age, intelligence, and sex account for differences in children's memory of TV commercials and "degree of insistence" (DI) after viewing them, 54 gifted, 71 normal, and 53 educable mentally retarded children (of both sexes, 7-13 years) were questioned. The mediating influence of the three independent variables on DI was…

Studies of recall and recognition short-term memory (STM) were reviewed, and a series of studies of serial recognition memory of normal and retarded children was described. In experiments using a recall procedure there were decrements in initial performance level with decreasing age and IQ but less evidence that forgetting occurred at a faster…

A study explored working memory (WM) capacity, WM task requirements, as well as effects between WM, skills, knowledge base, and intelligence in adults with mental retardation and children aged 3-6 years. Adults were better on measures reflecting skills and knowledge base. Children performed better in phonological and visuo-spatial WM tasks.…

Two studies are reported. The first is based on Piaget's assertion that the child's representation of his world is dependent on the level of cognitive development at which he is currently functioning. Forty-eight normals and 48 retardates were given a visual memory task. They were asked to recall a configural presentation in a number of ways,…

Retarded and nonretarded persons were compared on a task designed to preclude the use of cognitive strategies. Results suggest the possible importance of automatic processing deficiencies and invite a reconsideration of the idea that the relationship between intelligence and memory is due entirely to effortful processes. (LMO)