AGE-DIFFERENCES IN, AND CONSEQUENCES OF, MULTIPLE-STRATEGY AND VARIABLE-STRATEGY USE ON A MULTITRIAL SORT-RECALL TASK

Second-, 3rd-, and 4th-grade children were given 5 sort-recall trials with different sets of categorizable items. The authors assessed multi ple-strategy use on each trial and related intertrial changes in strat egy use to levels of recall. Multiple-strategy use increased with age but was observed at all grades. Fourth graders who used more strategie s had higher recall, with this pattern occurring only on later trials for 2nd and 3rd graders. Children of all ages showed substantial inter trial variability in using multiple strategies. Stable-strategy use (f ew strategy changes across trials) was related to high levels of recal l, both for individual and group data, and was associated with the use of different numbers of strategies at different ages. Results were in terpreted in light of new research and theory postulating that multipl e- and variable-strategy use is the rule rather than the exception in development and that strategies do not always facilitate task performa nce (utilization deficiencies).