The challenge of cognitive transfer revisited: Strategies of order memory in 7-year-old children
Résumé
Cognitive strategies and memory strategies are rather well-transferred in school-age children however, whether these higher-order cognitive memory skills transfer remains unanswered. Recently, researchers introduced a distinction between memory for items and memory for their order. Based on Marshuetz’s synthesis of five specific processes of order memory; we deduced five strategies. We hypothesized that children would proficiently use one or more of strategies provided they have the opportunity to practice them during their training. Forty-three 7 to 8-years-old children receiving explicit, implicit or no training tried to retain order. The training used motor activities and tested children in motor and non-motor exercises. Near and far transfer occurred in the trained groups. We also discuss the role of training on transfer, pointing out the benefits of exercising memory for order and the necessity of adapting tools for measuring this kind of memory.