The process structure of memory abilities in early and middle childhood.

Abstract

Memories enable the retrieval of specific events in the past while building generalizable knowledge that guides inference in new situations. According to a prominent conceptualization, serving both of these adaptive functions requires pattern separation, pattern completion, and generalization as distinct sets of complementary component processes. It is not known whether these three processes are separable in early childhood or whether they originally represent a single dimension of memorability that differentiates in middle childhood. Based on a selection of13 memory tasks, we will address this question though hypothesis-guided tests of differences in the factor structure of memory performance between younger and older groups of children (two groups, 48–59 versus 72–83 months of age, n = 120per group) using structural equation modeling. The results of this study will pave the way for a process-based and systemic understanding of memory development during childhood.