This investigation extended work on the linkage between knowledge and remembering by exploring the relation between generic and episodic memory representations. Thirty 6-year-old children experienced a mock physical examination with some expected components omitted and other unexpected actions included. Immediately and again after 12 weeks, the…

As children transition from the early to later grades of elementary school, they become increasingly skilled at employing a variety of techniques -- such as rehearsal and organizational strategies -- for remembering information. Developmental changes in strategy use have been well documented, but little is known about the extent to which these…

Research on mother-child reminiscing about previously experienced events carried out over the last 20 years indicates clear linkages between mothers' use of an elaborative conversational style and children's developing skills for remembering. The articles that comprise this special issue utilize both longitudinal designs and experimental methods,…

An experimental design was utilized to examine the effects of elaborative talk during and/or after an event on children's event memory reports. Sixty preschoolers were assigned randomly to one of four conditions that varied according to a researcher's use of high- or low- elaborative during- and/or post-event talk about a camping event. In a…

This study focused on individual differences in maternal style and children's developing recall abilities in early memory conversations. Within a longitudinal design, a sample of 56 mother-child dyads was observed while reminiscing, and the children's language skills were assessed when they were 18, 24, and 30 months old. In contrast to mothers…

Multiple aspects of memory were examined in 42 boys with fragile X syndrome and a comparison group of 42 typically developing boys matched on MA. Working memory, incidental memory, and deliberate memory were assessed with a battery that included both free-recall and recognition tasks. Findings indicated that boys with fragile X syndrome performed…

In a free-recall task, sixth graders were given instructions to rehearse aloud either actively or passively and were exposed to materials which differed in terms of the presumed salience of the list organization. Results showed that recall varied as a function of list organization under both types of rehearsal. (Author/JMB)

Third and seventh graders (age 9 and 13 years) were randomly assigned to three instructional groups and engaged in a sort/recall task. The instructions emphasized either (1) recall of the items, (2) meaningful organization of the items, or (3) meaningful organization and recall of the items. (Author/MP)

ver the course of 3 months but then remaining constant out to the final interview at 6 months. As expected, older children provided more total information than younger children did and reported a greater proportion of the event components in response to general rather than specific questions. However, comparable patterns of remembering and…

Two experiments were conducted which investigated the developmental patterns of children's rehearsal and organization of material to be memorized. (JMB)

This experiment investigated age differences in memory performance and the extent to which rehearsal techniques contribute to these differences. Second and sixth grade children were trained in a variety of rehearsal techniques in an overt-rehearsal free recall task. (Author/SB)

The present study was designed to determine whether previous experience with categorically related items would facilitate third and sixth grade children's recall of subsequent unrelated materials. Subjects were 24 children at each grade level. An additional aim was to see if such experience with taxonomic material would influence both the manner…

Experiments were conducted to explore the operation of retrieval processes in elementary age children's active rehearsal strategies. Using free-recall tasks, subjects were given instructions in active rehearsal as well as supports that might facilitate retrieval operation. Findings suggested that retrieval per se was not necessary for beneficial…