Environmental influences on primary memory development: a cross-cultural study of memory span in Lao and American children. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2003 Dec;25(8):1102-16
Date
10/21/2003Pubmed ID
14566584DOI
10.1076/jcen.25.8.1102.16722Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0242721382 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 20 CitationsAbstract
Although research examining Auditory-Verbal and Visual Memory Span in adults has failed to provide compelling evidence for the modality specificity of such tasks, Fastenau, Conant, and Lauer (1998) suggested that these processes may be dissociable in children until around the age of 8 years when visuospatial memory span appears to become more verbally mediated perhaps as a function of formal reading training. A subsequent cross-cultural study in Zaïre (now Democratic Republic of Congo) by Conant and colleagues (1999) supported that hypothesis. However, other differences in the sociocultural environments of American and rural Zaïrian children such as nutritional and health care factors could potentially account for the findings. The present study examines the relationships among Auditory-Verbal, Visual, and Cross-Modal Memory Span tasks with 46 Lao and 56 American children. Both samples were divided into younger and older groups, and separate partial correlational analyses were performed on Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) data from each group. In younger Lao and American children, Auditory-Verbal Memory Span was not significantly correlated with Visual Memory Span or Cross-Modal Memory Span, whereas significant correlations were found between Auditory-Verbal Memory Span and these other tasks in older children from both countries. The similar pattern in both cultures, together with findings from Zaïre, supports the hypothesis that the relationship between Auditory-Verbal and Visual Memory Span may change with reading training.
Author List
Conant LL, Fastenau PS, Giordani B, Boivin MJ, Chounramany C, Xaisida S, Choulamountry L, Pholsena PMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AgingAmericas
Child
Child Development
Cross-Cultural Comparison
Cultural Characteristics
Demography
Environment
Female
Hand
Humans
Laos
Male
Memory
Models, Psychological
Movement
Psychological Tests
Psychomotor Performance
Verbal Learning
