Sebastian and Hernandez Gil

Question 1

Aims

Answer 1

To investigate to development of the phonological loop in children between the ages of 5 and 17 years using digit span as a measure pf phonological capacity. They also wanted to compare findings to their previous research of adult, aged and dementia patients

Question 2

Sample

Answer 2

570 volunteer ppts were taken from schools in Madrid aged 5-17. All ppts were native Spanish and impairments in hearing, reading and writing ability were controlled

Question 3

Procedure

Answer 3

Ppts were divided into 5 different age groups and the average digit span was recorded for each age and age group.
Tested individually, ppts were read increasing sequences of digits to recall in the correct order. The digits were read out at a rate of one per second and the digit list increased one digit per sequence.
The digit span ppts was recorded as the maximum digit recalled in the correct order without error

Question 4

Results

Answer 4

• Children aged 5 years have a very low digit span (3.76) that rises steadily until around 11 years old where it slows (5.13). The digit span between 13-14 (5.46) and 15-17 (5.83) remains fairly the stable.
• Comparing the findings of this study to previous related research conducted by Sebastian and Hernandez Gil, they found elderly ppts had a significant higher digit span compared to the 5 year olds, but not significantly different from other age groups.
• Consistent with Anglo - Saxon research, the investigation showed a continued increase in digit span over time in Spanish population. However, the overall capacity of digit span was far lower in the Spanish population compared with the digit span of 7 found in Anglo - Saxon studies.
• Digits in Spanish tend to be two or more syllables. The word length effect means that it takes more time to sub vocally repeat and rehearse Spanish words, taking up more space I the phonological loop, resulting in lower digit span

Question 5

Conclusions

Answer 5

• Digit span was found to increase with age; the starting point of this development occurs when children are able to sub vocalise at around 7 years old.
• Digit span in the Spanish population is significantly shorter than Anglo Saxon culture, probably due to the word length effect associated with digits.

Question 6

A large sample size is tested in this study, allowing the findings to be considered reliable and generalisable to the Spanish population as a whole.

Answer 6

The sample size gathered was important for this research because comparisons were made across different cultures. The study also excluded ppts with any hearing, reading or language impairments, known to diminish digit span, which could have affected the results

Question 7

Culture differences in digit span have been reported by other researchers

Answer 7

Ellis and Hennelley (1980) reported poorer digits span in Welsh speaking children compared to English children, largely because Welsh words for digits take longer to pronounce than English digit words. Longer digit spans have been reported in Chinese because the words for digits are short. This supports research in finding that language and phonological loop are interrelated

Question 8

Another strength is the careful controls used in the study

Answer 8

The digit span task is a standard one and the same procedure was used in the 2012 study as in the 2010 study. The digits are presented one per second and there are three trials. The task is carried out in the break for all ppts. They use Spanish children and the Spanish language, which is a form of control too, as shown by their analysis of the findings

Question 9

We rarely use verbal memory to memorise list of digit in everyday life, other than when trying to rehearse a telephone number

Answer 9

Everyday verbal memory is used to hold sequences of words in order to comprehend sentences, master new languages or aid reading of complex information. Therefore it is open to question whether or not digit span experiments reflect everyday use of verbal memory

Question 10

A weakness is that the study does not show at what age the decreases might start

Answer 10

Study shows that digit span increases up to 17, there is a suggestion using Anglo Saxon data that it might decrease with age. Less of a weakness, more of a requirement