Numeric Memory: Developing Representations

Whether for letters or numbers, memory span increases dramatically from age 2 to young adulthood. The cognitive mechanisms underlying this age-related change are still somewhat uncertain. With emphasis on the Fuzzy Trace Theory (FTT) and the representational change account of numerical cognition, the present study introduced a single number recall task in which 39 preschool-aged children were asked to remember a quantity between 0 and 20 following a brief distractor task. Emphasizing accuracy of single number recall, results revealed support for the hypothesis that the link between children’s linear numeric magnitude representations and single number recall is confounded neither by age nor by memory span. Somewhat surprisingly, a number of “non-mapping” children failed to map non-symbolic and symbolic quantities on 3 numeric tasks (i.e., give-a-number task, number line estimation task, counting task). However, among children who successfully mapped symbolic numbers to non-symbolic quantities, linearity of children’s numeric magnitude representations uniquely predicted memory for single numbers. I discuss implications of the findings in light of previous research and suggest directions for future research in areas of arithmetic development and number-based decision-making.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor dc:publisher

The Ohio State University

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Marciani, Francesca

Contributors dc:contributor

• Opfer, John

• Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Cognitive Psychology
• numeric memory
• memory for numbers
• number recall
• representational change account
• fuzzy trace theory
• preschool
• numerical cognition

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1365697597

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:osu1365697597