Differential Development of Learning Strategies on a Pictorial Verbal Learning Test (PVLT) in Primary-School Children |
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| Authors: | C. J. C. Meijs P. P. M. Hurks A. C. Kalff D. I. E. Slaats-Willemse N. Rozendaal J. Jolles |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Neuropsychology &2. Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology &3. Neuroscience , Maastricht University , The Netherlands c.meijs@psychology.unimaas.nl;5. Neuroscience , Maastricht University , The Netherlands;6. Department of Psychiatry &7. Neuropsychology, Faculty of Health, Medicine &8. Life Sciences , Maastricht University , The Netherlands;9. De Bascule, Academic Center for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Duivendrecht , The Netherlands;10. Karakter Child and Adolescent University Centre Nijmegen , Nijmegen, The Netherlands;11. Department of Psychiatry & |
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| Abstract: | The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that developmental differences exist in the use of learning strategies in primary school children. Serial and subjective clustering in a multitrial Pictorial Verbal Learning Test (PVLT) were compared in 79 children aged 6–12. Correlation analyses indicated that serial clustering yielded better performance when information was presented on the initial trials of the test. Subjective clustering was superior when information was presented repeatedly, i.e., after three or more trials. Analyses of variance indicated that subjective clustering was used more often in older children with repeated presentations. On the other hand, there was no increase in the use of serial clustering with age and with repeated presentations. The findings imply that training in the use of proper strategies could have benefit for children who use an inefficient learning strategy and/or have a learning problem. In addition, they point to the importance of the factor “age” in relation to the way information is presented to children. |
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| Keywords: | Development Strategy Clustering Pictorial Verbal Learning |
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