| Abstract: | The development of the ability to visually encode and maintain a visual stimulus was examined in a paradigm in which verbal encoding of the stimulus was prevented. The 8-, 12-, and 21-year-old subjects participated in a shadowing task during which they viewed a letter which was visually presented for 200 msec, 5 sec after the shadowing list began. On each trial subjects either reported the letter immediately after presentation or continued shadowing for 4 or 10 sec. Although results replicated those found in previous research using the paradigm, no age differences were found in recall accuracy, types of errors, or introspective reports describing perceived recall strategy. These findings suggest that even 8 year olds were able to employ a visual code and retain it for several seconds in a situation in which incentive to do so was provided. |
