The Development of Time-Based Prospective Memory in Childhood: The Role of Working Memory Updating

This large-scale study examined the development of time-based prospective memory (PM) across childhood and the roles that working memory updating and time monitoring play in driving age effects in PM performance. One hundred and ninety-seven children aged 5 to 14 years completed a time-based PM task...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Developmental psychology 2014-10, Vol.50 (10), p.2393-2404
Main Authors: Voigt, Babett, Mahy, Caitlin E. V, Ellis, Judi, Schnitzspahn, Katharina, Krause, Ivonne, Altgassen, Mareike, Kliegel, Matthias
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Age Differences
Behavior
Behavioural psychology
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Child Behavior
Child Development
Child, Preschool
Childhood
Childhood Development
Children
Children & youth
Cognitive Development
Cognitive Processes
Developmental psychology
Difficulty Level
Early Adolescents
Executive Function
Foreign Countries
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Germany
Human
Humans
Learning. Memory
Memory
Memory, Episodic
Memory, Short-Term
Monitoring
Prospective Memory
Psychological Tests
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Short Term Memory
Statistical Analysis
Time
Time Perception
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
Wechsler Preschool Primary Scale of Intelligence
Youth
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Summary:This large-scale study examined the development of time-based prospective memory (PM) across childhood and the roles that working memory updating and time monitoring play in driving age effects in PM performance. One hundred and ninety-seven children aged 5 to 14 years completed a time-based PM task where working memory updating load was manipulated within individuals using a dual task design. Results revealed age-related increases in PM performance across childhood. Working memory updating load had a negative impact on PM performance and monitoring behavior in older children, but this effect was smaller in younger children. Moreover, the frequency as well as the pattern of time monitoring predicted children's PM performance. Our interpretation of these results is that processes involved in children's PM may show a qualitative shift over development from simple, nonstrategic monitoring behavior to more strategic monitoring based on internal temporal models that rely specifically on working memory updating resources. We discuss this interpretation with regard to possible trade-off effects in younger children as well as alternative accounts.
ISSN:0012-1649
1939-0599
DOI:10.1037/a0037491