THE DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGIC MEMORY - A MODIFIED MICROGENETIC ASSESSMENT OF UTILIZATION DEFICIENCIES

Second-, third-, and fourth-grade children performed a multitrial sort -recall task, using different sets of stimulus items on each trial. Ch ildren were classified as utilizationally deficient if measures of sor ting and/or clustering were initially below chance but increased over trials without a corresponding increase in recall. Children were class ified as quasiutilizationally deficient if initial levels of strategy use were greater than expected by chance and increased over trials wit hout concomitant increases in recall. More second and third graders we re classified as utilizationally deficient than fourth graders, who we re more likely to be classified as quasiutilizationally deficient than the younger children. Levels of recall and clustering were higher for second- and third-grade utilizationally deficient than for nonutiliza tionally deficient children, with this pattern being reversed for the fourth graders. Strategy classification was not predicted by measures of intelligence or metamemory. The results were discussed in terms of Miller's (1990) model of strategy development.