Contemporary - Sebastian and Hernandez Gil Flashcards
Aims
- To analyse the development of working memory (specifically phonological loop capacity) in Spanish children aged 5–17.
- To compare their digit span with previous research on elderly people and patients with dementia to understand how memory changes over time.
IV
School year group//ages
DV
Mean verbal digit span
Procedure
- random sequence of digits read aloud by experimenter at 1dig/sec, gradually increased in length
- digit span is max length at which ppts could recall at least two of the three series of errors.
Sample
- volunteer sample
- 570 children
- madrid
- native spanish
- field setting
Results (from expt)
- Digit span increases with age
(from 3.76 at 5 years old to 5.91 at 17 years old) - Digit span increased with age, but growth slowed after age 11.
- Spanish children had a lower digit span than English-speaking children from previous studies, likely due to word length effect (Spanish numbers are longer to pronounce).
Results (elderly)
- Healthy elderly DS = sig higher than 6yr olds
- Alzheimer disease and dementia showed similar digit span to 6 year olds.
Conclusions
- Digit span increased from 5-17 years old.
- Digit span in Spanish is significantly shorter than English speaking culture due to the word length effect associated with digits- SUBVOCAL REHEARSAL IN THE WMM.
Generalisability - LOW
P- The study may lack generalisability to other populations.
E - The sample consisted of 570 Spanish children from Madrid, meaning the findings may not apply to children from different cultures and languages.
E - Since Spanish numbers take longer to pronounce than English numbers, Spanish speakers tend to have a lower digit span due to the word length effect. This means the results cannot be assumed to be the same for children who speak other languages, reducing cross-cultural validity.
Generalisability - HIGH
(alternative)
P - The large sample size increases population validity.
E - The study involved 570 participants, which is significantly larger than many psychological studies.
E - A large and diverse sample within Spain improves representation, making the results more applicable to Spanish-speaking children. While cultural bias exists, the findings remain highly valid for Spanish populations.
Reliability - HIGH
P - The study is highly reliable due to its standardised procedure.
E - Every participant was tested individually using the same digit span task, following a consistent method where numbers were read aloud and recalled in order.
E - This controlled approach means the study can be replicated to check for consistent results. The findings align with previous research on memory development, further supporting reliability.
Reliability - LOW
(alternative)
P - Individual differences could affect reliability.
E - Some children may have been more attentive, motivated, or anxious than others during testing.
E - Since digit span relies on focus and effort, differences in concentration or test conditions may have influenced results, potentially reducing test-retest reliability
Ecological Validity - LOW
P - The study has low ecological validity as it uses an artificial task.
E - Participants had to recall random number sequences, which is not how memory is typically used in everyday life.
E - In real-life situations, people remember information that is more meaningful, such as names or events. This means the study may not accurately reflect how working memory functions outside a lab setting, reducing external validity.
Internal Validity - HIGH
P - The study has high internal validity because extraneous variables were controlled.
E - The task was highly structured, ensuring that all participants experienced the same conditions, and no outside distractions affected memory recall.
E - This increases internal validity, as researchers could confidently measure digit span as a reflection of phonological loop capacity rather than external influences like distractions or differing test environments.
Ethics - HIGH
P - The study met ethical standards and caused no lasting harm.
E - The task was simple, involving only number recall, and participants were not exposed to deception, distress, or physical risk.
E - Since there were no serious ethical concerns, the study meets BPS ethical guidelines, making it an ethically sound investigation into working memory development.
