MEANS TO THE GOAL OF REMEMBERING - DEVELOPMENTAL-CHANGES IN AWARENESSOF STRATEGY USE PERFORMANCE RELATIONS

We examined awareness of the causal relation between strategy use and recall performance among preschoolers, first graders, and third grader s, and the relation of this awareness to children's study behavior and recall. In Session 1, children were presented with two study-recall t rials; the second trial included questions concerning the child's stud y behavior. During Session 2, children viewed videotapes in which a mo del's strategy use (labeling versus no labeling) and recall level (hig h versus low) were varied orthogonally. Children judged whether the mo del tried to remember, rated how hard the model tried to remember, and described how they knew. Children who gave mentalistic explanations f or their study behaviors in Session 1 recalled more than those giving nonmentalistic explanations. In Session 2, age-related differences wer e observed in awareness of the relation between strategy use and perfo rmance level. Further, children who demonstrated understanding of stra tegy use-performance relations in Session 2 were more likely to give m entalistic explanations for their own study behaviors in Session 1. Th e results further delineate the metamemorial development that contribu tes to effective strategy utilization. (C) 1997 Academic Press.