Abstract
Children in kindergarten (n = 31), first (n = 33), and second grade (n = 37) were assessed for conservation of quantity and were tested on categorized free recall of picture labels. An analysis of covariance determined that conservers recalled more items than nonconservers, independent of the effects of age, while older children recalled more items than younger children, independently of the ability to conserve. No relationship was observed between measures of output organization, clustering, and recall scores. It was concluded that both age and cognitive ability contribute to the development of memory.
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This research was supported in part by Emory University Research Grant 8259 to the second author. The authors wish to express their thanks to Barbara and Paul Bianci and the students, teachers, and parents of the Paideia and Lullwater schools for their enthusiasm and cooperation during the course of this study.
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Simon, E.W., Bohannon, J.N. The relationship between conservation of quantity and categorized free recall in primary-grade children. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 12, 427–429 (1978). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329727
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329727