Sebastian and Hernandez-Gil (2012) - AO1

• What was the aim of this study?

  > investigate the development of the phonological loop in Spanish and Anglo-Saxon children between ages 5-17 by testing their verbal digit span to see if its capacity increases with age

  > compare the results of his study to those previously obtained using the same task in adults, elderly people and those with dementia
• What was the sample of this study?

  > 570 participants

  > Volunteer sample

  > From public + private pre-schools, primary schools and secondary schools

  > From Madrid
• What was the digit span task?

  > Measure the capacity of the phonological loop

  > Random sequences of digits read aloud at a rate of one per second

  > An item was gradually added to increase the sequence

  > Started with 3 sequences of 3 digits

  > Participants had to recall them in the same order
• How was this a standardised procedure?

  > 5 different age categories where the teaching style reflected the classroom environment specific for each age group
• What were the results of this study?

  > Digit span clearly increased with age

  > 5 year olds = 3.76

  > 6 year olds = 4.16

  > 17 year olds = 5.91

  > Digit span increases until age 17 compared to Anglo Saxons data who found that 15 was the stopping point

  > Second study -> elderly people with/without dementia, elderly had a high mean digit span of 4.44 that 5 and 6 year olds but didn't significantly differ from other ages
• What was the conclusion?

  The phonological loop is affected by age and not so much by dementia.