COGNITIVE Sebastian and Hernandez-Gil

Question 1

sebastian and hernandez-gil contemporary study

describe the aim

Answer 1

investgate the development of the phonological loop in children by testing verbal digital span and to compare results with previously obtained results from adults, elderly people ad dementia patients

Question 2

sebastian and hernandez-gil contemporary study

describe the sample

Answer 2

• 570 participants (males and females)
• volunteer sample from the community of Madrid
• from public/ private schools - aged 5-17
• no hearing or writing impairements

Question 3

sebastian and hernandez-gil contemporary study

describe the prcodeure

Answer 3

• divided into 5 different age categorises (cross-section study)
• allowed researchers to study differences between ages
• digital span task used to measure capacity of phonological loop (random sequence of digits read aloud one word per second)
• digit span was taken as the max length where participants could recall 2 out of 3 series

Question 4

sebastian and hernandez-gil contemporary study

what were the mean digit spans for each group

Answer 4

• 5 yrs old - 3.76
• 6 yrs old - 4.16
• 17 yrs old - 5.91
  Found that digit span increased with age

Question 5

sebastian and hernandez-gil contempoary study

what were the comparisons between the Anglo-Saxon children

Answer 5

• (2012) increased until 17 but Anglo-Saxon peaked at 15
• (2012) figures were aroun d one digit below Anglo-Saxon
• (2012) highlighted the difference in word length (the longer it takes to say the word- more the trace would decay)

Question 6

sebastian and hernandez–gil contemporary study

when did the study take place

Answer 6

2012

Question 7

sebastian and hernandez-gil contemporary study

what were the comparisons of the study on elderly people in 2010

Answer 7

• 25 people without impairments - 25 with Alzheimers - 9 people with frontal temporal dementia
• elderly had higher mean (4.44) than 5 and 6 year olds
• no difference with other groups
• Alzheimer patients mean (4.2) was higher that 5 year olds but o difference with other groups

Question 8

sebastian and hernandez-gil contemporary study

describe the conclusion

Answer 8

the phonological loop is affected by age but not so much by dementia

Question 9

sebastian and hernandez-gil contemporary study

positive evaluation points

Answer 9

• population validity - 570 children from range of different schools - increases generalisability
• standardised procedure - all tested using digit scan task - easily replicated with other psychologist - increases internal validity
• application in society - findings of the development of the phonological loop - teachers can find ways to assist children with difficulties

Question 10

sebastian and hernandez-gil contemporary study

negatives evaluation points

Answer 10

• ethnocentric - all from Madrid and born in Spain - not representative
• ecological valdity - remembering sequences of random digits - not used in every day life - artificial test of memory
• ethics (responsibility) - may not fully understand the purpose of the test - may feel they are not doing well on recalling digits - may feel distress