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Verbal and Visuospatial short-term and working memory in children: Are they separable?

Alloway, T.P.; Gathercole, S.E.; Pickering, S.J.

Authors

T.P. Alloway

S.E. Gathercole

S.J. Pickering



Abstract

This study explored the structure of verbal and visuospatial short-term and working memory in children between ages 4 and 11 years. Multiple tasks measuring 4 different memory components were used to capture the cognitive processes underlying working memory. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the processing component of working memory tasks was supported by a common resource pool, while storage aspects depend on domain-specific verbal and visuospatial resources. This model is largely stable across this developmental period, although some evidence exists that the links between the domain-specific visuospatial construct and the domain-general processing construct were higher in the 4- to- 6-year age group. The data also suggest that all working memory components are in place by 4 years of age.

Citation

Alloway, T., Gathercole, S., & Pickering, S. (2006). Verbal and Visuospatial short-term and working memory in children: Are they separable?. Child Development, 77(6), 1698-1716. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2006.00968.x

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date 2006-11
Deposit Date Mar 30, 2007
Journal Child Development
Print ISSN 0009-3920
Electronic ISSN 1467-8624
Publisher Wiley
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 77
Issue 6
Pages 1698-1716
DOI https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2006.00968.x