Verbal and Visuospatial Short-Term and Working Memory in Children: Are They Separable?

Tracy Packiam Alloway ^[1] ; Susan Elizabeth Gathercole ^[1] ; Susan J. Pickering ^[2]
1. [1] Durham University
  
  Durham University
  
  Reino Unido
2. [2] University of Bristol
  
  University of Bristol
  
  Reino Unido
Localización: Child development, ISSN 0009-3920, Vol. 77, Nº. 6, 2006, págs. 1698-1716
Idioma: inglés
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Resumen
- This study explored the structure of verbal and visuospatial short-term and working memory in children between ages 4 and 11 years. Multiple tasks measuring 4 different memory components were used to capture the cognitive processes underlying working memory. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the processing component of working memory tasks was supported by a common resource pool, while storage aspects depend on domain-specific verbal and visuospatial resources. This model is largely stable across this developmental period, although some evidence exists that the links between the domain-specific visuospatial construct and the domain-general processing construct were higher in the 4- to- 6-year age group. The data also suggest that all working memory components are in place by 4 years of age.