DELAYED RECOGNITION MEMORY IN INFANTS AND ADULTS AS REVEALED BY EVENT-RELATED POTENTIALS

The present study sought to compare adult and infant ERP responses in analogous tests of visual recognition memory. Adults were tested under two test conditions, in which they were given either explicit instruc tions to respond to a previously-seen stimulus, or no instructions. Te sting in both conditions took place after either a 1- or 5-min delay b etween familiarization and test. Eight-month-old infants were tested u nder the same 'passive' (no instruction) conditions as adults. ERP mor phology differed across age groups. Adults evinced a P300 that was lar ger under 'active' as compared to 'passive' test conditions, and a lat e positive slow wave response that was greater to novel than familiar stimuli. There was no evidence in infants of a P300, although infants did demonstrate a late positive slow wave that was greater to familiar than to novel stimuli. Parallels between the infant and adult finding s are discussed and in particular, whether the infant slow wave respon se is the precursor to the adult P300. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.