THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MEMORY PERFORMANCE, USE OF SIMPLE MEMORY STRATEGIES AND METAMEMORY IN YOUNG-CHILDREN

This study investigated the relationships between metamemory, the use of simple memory strategies and memory performance in children aged 4 to 5 years. Children carried out two memory tasks (memory span for pic tures, free recall of toys), and their recall and use of strategies wh ile carrying out these tasks was recorded. They also completed two met amemory tasks: predicting memory performance and responding to a nonve rbal questionnaire concerning knowledge about memory-relevant variable s. The metamemory questionnaire scores were significant predictors of memory performance in both tasks. In addition, some of the strategy va riables were negative predictors of performance. Off-task behaviour re duced recall, as did naming (an unexpected result), for free recall of toys. Naming items at recall (but not at presentation) reduced recall in the memory span task. There was also some positive evidence that c hildren who consistently named pictures at presentation had higher mem ory spans than children naming at recall only or using no strategies a t all. It was concluded that both metamemory knowledge and the use of simple strategies are significantly related to memory performance in y oung children, but that these relationships are modest.