Developmental Aspects of Working and Associative Memory
Abstract
Developmental differences between working and long-term associative memory were evaluated through a cross-sectional age difference study based on data from a memory battery's standardization sample. The scores of 856 children and adolescents ranging from 5 to 17 years of age were compared on memory subtests that assess verbal working and long-term memory. Data were examined using curve fitting and ANOVA procedures that evaluated age group and years of age differences. The major finding was that the developmental trajectories across age differed substantially between the two memory domains. The working memory trajectory was linear until age 11, whereas the long-term memory trajectory was curvilinear with an inflection point at age 8. Both trajectories plateaued after age 11. ANOVAs produced significant interactions between tests of working and associative memory with age, supporting the view that the age trajectories had differing courses. The results are discussed in terms of neurobiological implications for the two memory systems studied.
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Memory specifically increases between the ages of 6 and 12, and then goes on to slightly increase during adolescence.
“Memory specifically increases between the ages of 6 and 12, and then goes on to slightly increase during adolescence [29, 30].”
From Medical decision-making in children and adolescents: developmental and neuroscientific aspects (2017) · cites this paper as [30]
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- Authors
- Thaler, N. S., Goldstein, G., Pettegrew, J. W., Luther, J. F., Reynolds, C. R., & Allen, D. N.
- Affiliations
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas (US)
- VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (US)
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- Texas A&M University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Goldstein, G.
- Venue
- Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2013-01-21
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 348-355
- ISSN
- 0887-6177 (ISSN-L)
- 1873-5843
- OpenAlex
- W2113888856
- Cited by
- 29
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 5 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 2.25
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Developmental and Educational Neuropsychology
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Keywords
- working memory, long-term memory, associative memory, memory development, developmental trajectories, age differences, children and adolescents, verbal memory, memory systems
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Age Factors, Analysis of Variance, Association Learning, Child, Child Development, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Male, Memory, Short-Term, Neuropsychological Tests, Verbal Learning, Memory, Long-Term
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