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Cited by 150Memory Processes and InfluencesChild and Animal Learning DevelopmentIdentity, Memory, and Therapy

To have and to hold: episodic memory in 3- and 4-year-old children

Scarf, Damian, Gross, Julien, Colombo, Michael, Hayne, Harlene·2013·Developmental Psychobiology
DOI 10.1002/dev.21004
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Abstract

Episodic memory endows us with the ability to reflect on our past and plan for our future. Most theorists argue that episodic memory emerges during the preschool period and that its emergence might herald the end of childhood amnesia. Here, we show that both 3- and 4-year-old children form episodic memories, but that 3-year-old children fail to retain those memories following a delay (Experiments 1 and 2). In contrast, 4-year-old children retained episodic memories over delays of 24 hr (Experiment 1) and 1 week (Experiment 3). This marked change in the retention of episodic memories between 3 and 4 years of age suggests that it is our ability to retain, rather than to form, an episodic memory that limits our ability to recall episodes from early childhood.

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  • Both 3- and 4-year-old children form episodic memories, but 3-year-olds fail to retain those memories following delays as brief as 30 min, whereas 4-year-olds retain them up to a week later.

    “both 3- and 4-year-old children form episodic memories, but that 3-year olds fail to retain those memories following delays as brief as 30 min, whereas 4-year olds retain them up to a week later (105).”

    From The Stress Acceleration Hypothesis of Nightmares (2017) · cites this paper as [105]

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Authors
Scarf, D., Gross, J., Colombo, M., & Hayne, H.
Affiliations
University of Otago (NZ)
Corresponding author
Hayne, Harlene
ORCID
Venue
Developmental Psychobiology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2011-12-27
Volume
55
Issue
2
Pages
125-132
ISSN
  • 0012-1630 (ISSN-L)
  • 1098-2302
DOI
10.1002/dev.21004
OpenAlex
W2115972664
Cited by
150
References
62
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 1
FWCI
3.74
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • Developmental Psychobiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
Keywords
episodic memory, memory retention, memory delay, childhood amnesia, preschool children, memory formation, memory retrieval, cognitive development
MeSH terms
Child Development, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Retention, Psychology, Memory, Episodic

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