Children’s memory performance in relation to age, verbal competence and metamemory; The effects of instruction to use imaginal elaboration during paired associate learning

This study reports the effects of instruction to use interactive imagery on the memory performance of 8-9 year-old and 10-11 year-old children. Within each age group children were experimentally assessed for metamemory ability and teacher assessed for verbal competence. Comparisons of imagery use under conditions of no instruction, minimal instruction (hint), explicit instruction and transfer of instruction are reported, Statistical analyses revealed an overall benefit of instruction for both age groups of children. This was regardless of verbal competence and matameory ability, except for younger low metamemory ability and medium verbal competence children. Explicit instruction benefited all children except the younger children with low metamemory ability. Transfer of instruction was exhibited by the older group of children irrespective of metamemory ability and verbal competence. Transfer of instruction was only exhibited by younger children with high metamemory ability. It is concluded that metamemory, as assessed in the present study, is a viable predictor of memory performance.