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Age differences in generalization, memory specificity, and their overnight fate in childhood.

Elisa S BuchbergerAnn-Kathrin JoechnerChi T NgoUlman LindenbergerMarkus Werkle-Bergner
Published in: Child development (2024)
Memory enables generalization to new situations, and memory specificity that preserves individual episodes. This study investigated generalization, memory specificity, and their overnight fate in 141 4- to 8-year-olds (computerized memory game; 71 females, tested 2020-2021 in Germany). The results replicated age effects in generalization and memory specificity, and a contingency of generalization on object conceptual properties and interobject semantic proximity. Age effects were stronger in generalization than in memory specificity, and generalization was more closely linked to the explicit regularity knowledge in older than in younger children. After an overnight delay, older children retained more generalized and specific memories and showed greater gains but only in generalization. These findings reveal distinct age differences in generalization and memory specificity across childhood.
Keyphrases
  • working memory
  • healthcare
  • young adults
  • physical activity
  • gene expression
  • high resolution
  • genome wide
  • single cell
  • clinical decision support
  • early life