Spatial and verbal abilities in children's crossmodal recognition: A dual coding approach.

Abstract

A dual coding analysis suggests that performance on a tactual-to-visual shape recognition task could be based on either a nonverbal visual imagery strategy or a verbal referential naming strategy and that different ability variables should predict crossmodal recognition under imagery and naming strategies. In two experiments, 184 Kindergarten and Grade 1 children completed individual tests of visuospatial and verbal referential abilities prior to performing a crossmodal shape recognition task under imagery, naming, or control instructions. Multiple regression analyses revealed that, as expected, the major correlate of crossmodal recognition performance was visuospatial ability under imagery instructions and verbal referential skill under naming instructions. Children given no specific strategy instructions apparently implemented a naming strategy. The results are consistent with a dual coding conceptualization of the crossmodal recognition task and suggest that the development of strategy-specific abilities may be a prerequisite for children to employ imagery and naming strategics successfully. * This article is based in part on a master's thesis completed at the University of Western Ontario by the first author under the supervision of the second author. We thank the 1 -ondon Board of Education tor providing access to subjects, Sonya Symons for assisting in data collection Tor Experiment 1, and three anonymous reviewers for suggesting improvements to an earlier version of this article. Preparation of this manuscript was supported by a postgraduate scholarship to C. Johnson from the Natural Sciences

Mental representation in visual/haptic crossmodal memory: evidence from interference effects

“…For familiar objects, a visual representation can be evoked either visually or haptically, and this visual representation in turn can trigger the name of the object ( Johnson et al, 1989). Thus verbal processing is only involved to the extent that a verbal label can be activated.…”

Persistent perceptual grouping effects in the evaluation of simple arithmetic expressions

“…Johnson, Paivio, and Clark (1989) suggested that representations initiated in one modality can activate verbal representations if the object is identified as familiar. Representations of unfamiliar objects may also be subject to verbal recoding if a verbal description can be generated (Lacey & Campbell, 2006).…”

Vision and Touch: Multiple or Multisensory Representations of Objects?

“…This distinction is especially important for representations whose content can be derived from multiple modalities and which therefore have several potential formats. Johnson et al (1989) proposed a dual-code account of cross-modal object representation, arguing that haptic input activates visual representations for both familiar and unfamiliar objects, but that this activation spreads to a verbal representation for familiar objects since these can be named. Although the performance of children instructed to use either visual or verbal strategies correlated with their visuo-spatial and verbal abilities (Johnson et al 1989), only familiar nameable shapes were used and thus the role of familiarity was not rigorously tested.…”

“…Johnson et al (1989) proposed a dual-code account of cross-modal object representation, arguing that haptic input activates visual representations for both familiar and unfamiliar objects, but that this activation spreads to a verbal representation for familiar objects since these can be named. Although the performance of children instructed to use either visual or verbal strategies correlated with their visuo-spatial and verbal abilities (Johnson et al 1989), only familiar nameable shapes were used and thus the role of familiarity was not rigorously tested. Since cross-modal memory has been demonstrated in preverbal infants and several animal species, it is unlikely that language acquisition or verbal strategies are fundamental to performance (Rose 1994).…”