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

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

Preview

Text 9245_Jones.pdf - Published version Download (558kB) | Preview

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
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.3758/s13421-017-0759-3 DOI
Divisions:	Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by:	Jonathan Gallacher
Date Added:	05 Oct 2017 10:50
Last Modified:	05 Oct 2017 10:50
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/31794

Actions (login required)

Edit View

Statistics

Views

Downloads