title: Relations between vocabulary development and verbal short-term memory: The relative importance of short-term memory for serial order and item information.
abstract: Although many studies have shown an association between verbal short-term memory (STM) and vocabulary development, the precise nature of this association is not yet clear. The current study reexamined this relation in 4- to 6-year-olds by designing verbal STM tasks that maximized memory for either item or serial order information. Although empirical data suggest that distinct STM processes determine item and serial order recall, these were generally confounded in previous developmental studies. We observed that item and order memory tasks were independently related to vocabulary development. Furthermore, vocabulary development was more strongly associated with STM for order information in 4- and 6-year-olds and with STM for item information in 5-year-olds. These data highlight the specificity of verbal STM for serial order and item information and suggest a causal association between order STM processes and vocabulary development, at least in 4- and 6-year-olds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of Liège, B-4000 Liège, Belgium. smajerus@ulg.ac.be
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Majerus
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poncelet
authors.forename: Christelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Greffe
authors.forename: Martial
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van der Linden
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002663:Child Language; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D014706:Verbal Learning; D014825:Vocabulary