This study examined the degree to which 31 13-year-old children with learning disabilities were comparable to younger reading and spelling matched controls in (1) phonological similarity effects, (2) phonetically based misspellings, and (3) relationships between memory and spelling performance. An overreliance on phonological codes was found for…

Examines the accuracy and changes that writers make when rereading their self-generated texts in a clozed condition. Finds that by sixth grade, learners are able to perform cloze tasks with accuracy similar to that of college undergraduates. Suggests that students have difficulty with revising their written work because they remember their writing…

Examined the learning of a manipulative response by well and at-risk infants of 6 to 13 months of age who had experienced respiratory interventions in the perinatal period. Risk status reliably predicted the learning performance. Results confirmed that the effects of perinatal interventions involving respiratory complications influenced infants'…

Two groups of 18-month-olds were exposed to a novel object labeled "dodo." The object was introduced when the infant's attention was focused either on the object or on another object. Infants in the group with attention on the object were more likely than the others to identify the dodo object in subsequent comprehension tests. (MDM)

This study investigated taxonomic clustering and use of frequency associations as features in the semantic memory of children (n=30 in grades two and six) with learning disabilities (LD). Results suggested that, when individual child-generated word lists (i.e., meaningful) are used, children with LD may not be impaired in their ability to utilize…

Reviews two projects studying the nature of mental representations of space induced entirely by language. The first project investigates perspective in descriptions of large-scale (e.g., convention center, town) space. The second project investigates mental representations of objects located immediately around the body. (37 references) (KRN)

To elucidate differences between normal age-associated memory impairment (AAMI) and mild Alzheimer's disease (AD), batteries of traditional memory tasks and computer-simulated everyday memory tests were administered to 56 matched AAMI-AD pairs. Results demonstrate the feasibility of discriminating mild AD through these tests. (SLD)

The Model of Human Occupation was used to design a program to train and support four dementia patients in daily living activities focused on motor skills and procedural memory. The Assessment for Motor and Process Skills showed gains for three of the four, paralleled by a decrease in the amount of support needed from therapists in task…

A study that has uncovered robust memories among former students for material learned in a college course after as long as 11 years is discussed. This is in contrast to the widespread conviction that the passing of years wipes away most recollections of concepts and facts learned in school. (KR)

Using 49 undergraduates, short-term memory (STM) spans, STM probe-recall tasks, and complex working memory (WM) spans were studied to assess the relationships among STM, WM, and verbal ability. Results indicate that STM and WM are separate cognitive constructs, and that both STM and WM are important to verbal abilities. (SLD)

In one experiment, third graders induced to use organizational strategies demonstrated better recall than did students trained in strategy use. In a second experiment, third graders exposed to categorical materials exhibited better recall than other third graders; and sixth graders exhibited better recall of functionally related than…

Total of 305 adults ranging from 19-84 years of age and 100 college students were given a battery of tests that measured cognitive abilities and memory. Results indicated that a large proportion of age-related variance in cognition and memory was reduced when statistical control procedures, such as hierarchical regression, were used to eliminate…

Children's memory of single infant experience was evaluated. At 6.5 months, infants participated in study of reaching in light and dark for sounding object. Children repeated dark procedure in laboratory when they were either one year or two years older. Older children with infant experience reached and grasped the sounding object significantly…

Results revealed some integration of text and tune in both preschoolers' and adults' memory of a song, with the degree of integration greater for adults than for children. Children's memory for one song component (most often the words) did not especially facilitate their memory for the other component (the tune). (RH)

Tests G. Armstrong's and B. Greenberg's model of the effect of background television on cognitive performance, applied to reading comprehension and memory. Finds significant deleterious effects of background television, stronger and more consistent effects when testing immediately after reading, and more consistently negative effects resulting…