Aim: Study developmental pattern of working memory over time, including changes from ageing & dimension.
Analyse development of phonological loop in children 5-17 years old looking at age digit span stopped increasing
See if Anglo-Saxon data (15 years end) were replicated or digit span higher for Spanish speakers.
Procedure:
Sample: 570 volunteers aged 5-17 of Spanish pop. Various schools in Madrid. No ppt repeated a year or had learning difficulty in reading, writing or hearing creating control of education & cog differences. Spit into age groups. 5, 6-8 , 9-11 , 12-14 & 15-17.
IV – Age of ppt. DV – Digit span.
Primary data gathered testing digit span increase between 5-17 years. Ppts tested individually, sequences of digit read aloud, 1 per second. When ppt got sequence right, another digit was added to increase span, starting with 3 sequence of 3 digits.
Instructions required ppts to listen carefully & recall digits in same order, digit span measure was number of digits in sequence recalled 2/3 sequences correctly.
Prt 2: secondary data: 25 healthy old people as control, 25 with Alzheimer’s & 9 with frontal-temporal dementia.
Results: (5 years – 3.76) (6-8 – 4.34) (9-11 – 5.13) (12-14 – 5.46) (15-17 – 5.83)
Digit span increase with age, preschool (5) had low digit span and showed S.D to others. Data compared with intelligence test for children (from Spanish children) showing digit span increases with age
Alzheimer’s (7M/18f) -4.20 Control (6m/19f) 4.44 Frontal-temporal dementia (5m/4f) 4.22
When we get older digit span starts to decrease. Elderly have digit span of 6-8 yr old. Control doesn’t have a S.D in digit span than those with dementia.
Conclusion: digit span increases with age, 5-17 contrasts against Anglo-Saxon digit span were studies show adult digit span of 7 at 15.
Highlighted difference in world length between Spanish and English. Highlighted Baddeley finding memory span affected by lists using long words compared to short.
Spanish words longer than English & Sub-vocal rehearsal doesn’t start until till 7 so less difference between Spanish & English children younger than 7.
English studies showed digit span 4 at age 5-6 years. From 7 for both Eng & Span digit span increases but 1 lower for Spanish due to length of word
| Strength | Weaknesses |
| High G – large sample of 570 children aged 5-17, screened not to repeat school or have learning difficulties – generalise to whole span population
High R – data can be compared with results from previous intelligence test and English data & similar patterns of development found – high test-re-test of results as others produced similar Application – tracked digit span through children showing development through sequence of numbers and seeing when learning is easiest – we can tailor educational tasks to development stage where phonological loop required. High V – strict control over EV e.g making sure no one repeated a year, no learning difficulties & individually tested – can establish a cause & effect relation. |
Low G – Representation of secondary group is not large enough due to only 59 ppts (25 control, 25 dementia, 9 FLD) majority female – may be gynocentric bias as more female ppts.
Low task V – task was to recall 3 sequences of 3 digit numbers increasing. Artificial task & presented in controlled manner – not representative of real life memory & phonological store lacking mundane realism. Low ecological V – took part in a lab experiment with high control over variables which would influence usual memory – behaviour, recall may not be natural due to this level of control
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