Introduction to Memory Development During Childhood and Adolescence

Memory development has been a central topic in developmental psychology for the past 30 years. This volume summarizes the research achievements during that era and relates those achievements to work on memory development conducted throughout the 20th century. An abridgement of Schneider and Pressley's previous work (Memory Development Between Two and Twenty, Second Edition, 1997, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.), this book has been reorganized to better discuss the most important themes in memory development for the novice student. By highlighting the issues driving contemporary memory development research, it provides the knowledge that students require to effectively understand the newest studies on memory development. This textbook is not a history; rather, it offers a framework for understanding the many memory development studies now appearing in the literature. A comprehensive, yet succinct, summary of theory and research on memory development, this volume covers more than a century of research, including European, Soviet, and American contributions. Its organization in terms of basic memory capacities, knowledge, strategies, and metamemory reflects the way that the most important researchers in memory development have conceived of the field during the past two decades. At the same time, it emphasizes the perspective that memory development is not development of any of the components alone, but rather is due to developments in capacity, knowledge, strategies, and metamemory in interaction. As such, the book is appropriate for courses in child development, cognitive development, and cognition and memory--that is, wherever students have a need to know about how leading scholars view the development of memory and intellect.