Long-term associative learning predicts verbal short-term memory performance

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Jones, G. ORCID: 0000-0003-3867-9947 and Macken, B., 2017. Long-term associative learning predicts verbal short-term memory performance. Memory & Cognition. ISSN 0090-502X

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Official URL: http://doi.org/10.3758/s13421-017-0759-3

Abstract

Studies using tests such as digit span and nonword repetition have implicated short-term memory across a range of developmental domains. Such tests ostensibly assess specialized processes for the short-term manipulation and maintenance of information that are often argued to enable long-term learning. However, there is considerable evidence for an influence of long-term linguistic learning on performance in short-term memory tasks that brings into question the role of a specialized short-term memory system separate from long-term knowledge. Using natural language corpora, we show experimentally and computationally that performance on three widely used measures of short-term memory (digit span, nonword repetition, and sentence recall) can be predicted from simple associative learning operating on the linguistic environment to which a typical child may have been exposed. The findings support the broad view that short-term verbal memory performance reflects the application of long-term language knowledge to the experimental setting.

Item Type:

Journal article

Publication Title:

Memory & Cognition

Creators:

Jones, G. and Macken, B.

Publisher:

Springer New York LLC

Date:

2 October 2017

ISSN:

0090-502X