[en] The verbal short-term memory span is usually measured by word span or digit span. Another way to measure short-term memory abilities is to use a nonword repetition task. There are three hypothesis in order to explain this relationship: (1) children repeat less long nonwords than short nonwords (mnesic hypothesis);
(2) children repeat more “wordlike nonwords” than “non-wordlike nonwords” (linguistic hypothesis);
(3) the length of the nonwords and their wordlikness both influence the quality of the repetition. The results of this experiment seem to confirm the hypothesis according to which nonwords are temporally stored in the phonological short-term memory system. As this system is limited (in time and capacity), the shorter the nonwords are, the best they are recalled.
Disciplines :
Theoretical & cognitive psychology
Author, co-author :
Comblain, Annick ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Services administratifs généraux > Relations extérieures : Direction - Rectorat : Cabinet du Recteur
Language :
English
Title :
The relevance of nonword repetition task to assess Down's syndrome subjects verbal short-term memory
Publication date :
09 April 1997
Number of pages :
2
Event name :
2nd International Conference on Language and Cognitive Development in Down syndrome
