Executive and retrospective memory processes in preschoolers’ prospective memory development

Fuke, Taissa S.S.; Mahy, Caitlin E.V. · 2022 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2022.101172

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Summary

This thesis by Taissa Fuke (2022) investigates the cognitive predictors of prospective memory (PM) development in preschoolers, specifically testing the Executive Framework of PM Development. This framework posits that while retrospective memory (RM) is necessary for PM, executive function (EF) drives its development once RM reaches a sufficient level. The research addresses a gap in understanding how RM and EF contributions shift across early childhood, utilizing both behavioral tasks and parent-report measures to assess PM in 3- to 6-year-old children. The study comprised two investigations. Study 1 involved 55 children who completed behavioral tasks measuring PM (Vehicle Card Sort), RM (memory checks), and EF (Tower of Hanoi for planning; Dimensional Change Card Sort for cognitive flexibility). Parents completed the Children’s Future Thinking Questionnaire (CFTQ) for PM and the Behavioural Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool (BRIEF-P) for EF. Hierarchical regression analyses examined whether age, RM, and EF predicted behavioral and parent-reported PM, including interactions with age. Study 2 utilized previously collected data to further analyze the relationship between retrospective memory, executive function, and parent-reported PM, employing correlational and regression analyses to determine distinct predictors. The findings revealed divergent results depending on the measurement method. In Study 1, neither retrospective memory nor executive function significantly predicted children’s behavioral PM performance, nor did age moderate these relationships. However, executive function consistently predicted parent-reported PM across both studies, regardless of the measurement method. Retrospective memory significantly predicted parent-reported PM in Study 2 but not in Study 1. The data suggest that behavioral and parent-report measures may tap into different aspects of prospective memory. While behavioral tasks failed to show the predicted EF-driven development, parent reports aligned with the Executive Framework’s assertion that EF is a critical predictor of PM in early childhood. The significance of this research lies in its nuanced support for the Executive Framework of PM Development. The consistent prediction of parent-reported PM by executive function underscores the importance of controlled processes in real-world PM contexts. The discrepancy between behavioral and parent-report findings highlights potential limitations in laboratory tasks, which may be too specific to capture the variance of everyday PM. The study concludes that both retrospective memory and executive processes are important to PM development, but their influence varies by context and measurement type. These findings imply that future research should consider multiple assessment methods to fully understand the mechanisms driving PM development in early childhood.

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• prospective memory interruptions