contemporary study: Sebastian & Hernandez-Gil (2012) Flashcards
(26 cards)
What were the 2 aims?
- investigate development of the phonological loop in the working memory by analysing digit span
- compare results of Spanish school children which Anglo-Saxon adults & those with dementia
How many participants were there?
575
Who was the sample?
Spanish children
Where was the sample from?
Madrid, Spain
What was the age range of the sample?
5-17
What was controlled in the sample?
No cognitive, auditory and linguistic impairments
What type of schools did the participants come from?
Public and private
What type of experiment was it?
Field
How was it a field experiment?
done at school during break time
What did the participants have to do?
a verbal digit span task
What did the task begin with?
3 sequences of 3 digits
How was the dependent variable measured?
length of sequence gradually increased by 1 each time until the pp could no longer recall it correctly
What was the mean digit span in 5 year olds?
3.76
What was the mean digit span in 11 year olds?
5.28
What was the mean digit span in 17 year olds?
5.91
What was the conclusion about the Spanish children?
they had a lower digit span than English children because Spanish numbers have longer syllables therefore take longer to rehearse in the phonological loop
What was the conclusion about the phonological loop?
The PL develops with age stabilising around adolescence
What was the conclusion about digit span in older adults and people with dementia?
the phonological loop declines with age + cognitive impairment
What were the issues with generalisability to kids?
(G.r.a.v.e)
can’t be generalised to children with cognitive and hearing impairments
What were the issues with generalisability to the general population?
(G.r.a.v.e)
ethnocentric- limit to Spanish population
How was the procedure standardised?
(g.R.a.v.e)
Consistent presentation of digits at the same speed + format
How can the study be applied in 2 ways?
(g.r.A.v.e)
- understanding memory development and its link to language structure
- developing educational strategies for children with WM deficits
How does the study have high internal validity?
(g.r.a.V.e)
controlled lab setting (all children tested the same way)
How does the study lack ecological validity?
(g.r.a.V.e)
lacks mundane realism of artificial task
