Retrieving for Rehearsal: An Analysis of Active Rehearsal in Children's Memory

• Published in: Developmental psychology 1985-07, Vol.21 (4), p.633-641
• Main Authors: Ornstein, Peter A, Medlin, Richard G, Stone, Barbara P, Naus, Mary J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age Differences; Biological and medical sciences; Conditioning; Free Recall; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human; Human Information Storage; Learning. Memory; Practice; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Strategies
• ISSN: 0012-1649; 1939-0599
• DOI: 10.1037/0012-1649.21.4.633

Two experiments were conducted to explore the operation of retrieval processes in children's active rehearsal strategies. Retrieval was viewed as a skill that is necessary for active rehearsal, because the joint rehearsal of several words together typically cannot be accomplished unless previous items are retrieved. In the present studies, both using free-recall tasks, subjects were given instructions in active rehearsal as well as supports that might facilitate the retrieval operation and thus enhance both rehearsal and recall performance. In Experiment 1, it was found that by providing second graders with an opportunity to view previously presented words, rehearsal activity and recall increased substantially, whereas the performance of the sixth graders was not affected. In Experiment 2, it was found that the provision of extra time per item also enabled second graders to execute a more active rehearsal strategy. Extra time, however, had only minimal effects on recall, except when it was combined with visual access to the items. Finally, the findings suggested that retrieval per se was not necessary for the beneficial effects of active rehearsal, if other procedures could be followed to permit the juxtaposition of several items in rehearsal.