Contemporary study: Sebastián and Hernández-Gil (2012)

Question 1

Define ‘digit span’

Answer 1

How many numbers we can hold in STM at one time

Question 2

What were the aims of Sebastián and Hernández-Gil’s study?

Answer 2

• To investigate the development of the phonological loop and digit span
• To investigate whether digit span declines in older people
• To investigate whether language affects digit span

Question 3

Who were used in the sample in ‘part 1’ of the study?

Answer 3

• 570 volunteers
• 5 - 17 years old
• Spanish

This was primary data

Question 4

Who were used in the sample in ‘part 2’ of the study?

Answer 4

• 25 healthy older ppts
• 25 alzheimer’s patients
• 9 people with frontotemporal dementia

This was secondary data

Question 5

What method was used?

Answer 5

Lab

Question 6

Describe the procedure of this contemporary study

Answer 6

• 3 sequences of 3 digits were read outloud by the experimentor at a rate of 1 digit per second
• Each time the ppt recalled the list correctly and in order, one more digit was added
• The most number of digits recalled accurately indicated the ppts digit span
• The data (primary) was then compared with secondary data of the digits spans of 25 healthy people and 25 alzheimer’s patients

Question 7

What was the IV and the DV?

Answer 7

IV - Addition of a digit everytime order was recalled correctly
DV - Number of digits recalled in the correct order

Question 8

What were the results of ‘part 1’ of the study?

Answer 8

• Mean digit span increased from 3.7 (5 years) to 5.9 (17 years)
• Due to significant increase from age 5-8 (4.6) it was concluded that you learn to subvocally recall at age 7

Question 9

What were the results of ‘part 2’ of the study?

Answer 9

• Alzheimer’s patients had a digit span of 4.2, healthy ppts had a digit span of 4.4
• Alzheimer’s patients performed better than 5 year olds however this didn’t significantly differ from other ages groups

Question 10

What were the conclusions of the study?

Answer 10

• Digit span increases with ages until age 15
• Subvocal recall develops at age 7
• Adult span is about 7
• Digit span is affected by age, not dementia

Question 11

How does language affect digit span?

Answer 11

Due to increased length of spanish words, it takes longer to say the digit and it is more likely to decay as rehersal takes longer than english words

For example - cuatro (two syllables), four (one syllable)

Question 12

Due to subvocal rehearsal not developing until the age of 7, what does this mean for the results of English and Spanish children below age 7?

Answer 12

There should be less difference between the results due to subvocal recall not being developed yet