Lecture Outline:

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• Lecture Outline
• Information Processing Theories
• Common Features
• Development of Memory
• Types of Memory
• Factors Influencing Memory Development
• Basic Processes
• Strategy Use
• Content Knowledge

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• Information Processing Theories
• Common Features
• Cognitive development is viewed as continuous
  rather than discontinuous

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• Comparisons are drawn between information
  processing of computers and that of humans
• Computers ability to process information is
  limited by its
• Hardware (e.g., memory capacity, speed/efficiency
  of operations)
• Software (e.g., strategies, information
  available)
• Individuals thinking is limited by
• Memory capacity
• Speed/efficiency of thought processes
• Availability of relevant strategies and knowledge

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• Development of Memory
• Types of Memory
• Short-term (working) memory Workspace in
  which information is actively processed
• Can hold and operate on between 1 and 10 items
  (words, numbers, etc.) for up to a minute
• Capacity and speed of operation increases greatly
  over the course of childhood and adolescence

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• Long-term memory Information retained on an
  enduring basis
• Can hold an unlimited amount of information for
  unlimited periods of time
• Includes knowledge and skills
• Long-term memory increases over the course of
  childhood and adolescence

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• What Factors Influence Memory Development?
• Basic Processes
• Simple, most frequently used mental activities
• Exs recognizing objects as familiar recalling
  facts and procedures generalizing from one
  instance/event to another encoding

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• Encoding Process of representing in memory
  information that draws attention or is considered
  important

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• Speed/efficiency of basic processes increases
  most rapidly during childhood but continues to
  increase through adolescence

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• Strategy Use
• Strategy A general plan or set of plans
  intended to achieve a goal

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• Specific Memory Strategies
• Rehearsal Repetition of information
• Spontaneous use of this strategy emerges around
  age 5
• Repeat an item as it is presented
• Younger children do not typically use cumulative
  rehearsal (repeating all items in a list each
  time a new item is added)
• When younger children are instructed to use
  cumulative rehearsal, memory performance improves

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• Organization Grouping items on the basis of
  similarity
• By approximately 10-11 years, children tend to
  recall related items together
• When younger children are instructed to use
  organization, memory performance improves

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• Elaboration Creating a meaningful relationship
  between two items (verbally or visually)
• Typically tested using paired-associates
  procedure
• Two words are paired (e.g., bear-blanket)
• Test One word is presented and participant must
  recall other word
• Children rarely use elaboration spontaneously
• If instructed to use visual or verbal
  elaboration, memory performance improves

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• Content Knowledge
• Greater knowledge increases childrens ability to
  remember new information because they can relate
  it to information they already know
• When children know more about a topic than
  adults, their memory for new information about
  the topic is often better than that of adults
• Ex Chi (1978)
• Tested memory for novel chessboard arrangements
  in child chess experts and novice adults

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• Scripts A type of knowledge about how some type
  of everyday event usually goes
• Ex eating at a restaurant grocery shopping