title: Developmental reversals in recognition memory in children and adults.
abstract: Older members of a given species typically exhibit superior learning and memory abilities relative to younger members, however, the developmental difference does not always occur in this younger-to-older direction. Developmental reversals are thought to reflect adaptive responses to the unique challenges imposed by the infant's niche. In humans, identification of developmental reversals has largely been precluded because infants, children, and adults are rarely tested using the same experimental procedures. Here, we adapted the visual recognition memory task and tested 3-year-olds and adults using one set of child-oriented stimuli and one set of adult-orientated stimuli. When tested immediately, children and adults exhibited recognition memory for both stimuli. When tested after a 1-week delay, children exhibited recognition memory for the child-oriented stimuli, but not for the adult-oriented stimuli and adults exhibited recognition memory for the adult-oriented stimuli, but not for the child-oriented stimuli. These data have important implications for current theories of memory development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Beatrix
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gardiner
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Harlene
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hayne
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: adults; children; developmental reversals; humans; stimulus type; visual recognition memory