Memory development or the development of memory?

For 30 years, the question "What is memory development the development of?" has guided research on children's memory. As theories and research paradig ms have evolved over this period, so too has knowledge of the surprising mn emonic competence of young children and of age-related differences in memor y performance. Nevertheless, there are serious limits to current understand ing of the development of memory. Indeed, there have been few investigation s of changes over time in the memory skills of individual children, and res earchers have yet to shed much light on the more difficult question of "Wha t are the forces that propel the development of skilled remembering?" From our perspective, the answer to this question will require movement toward l ongitudinal research designs that illuminate the mechanisms that bring abou t developmental change.