S+HG essay plan

• S+HG AO1


  AIM: see if digit span increased with age, investigate development of phonological loop

  METHOD: 570ppts, 5-17yrs old, from schools in madrid, volunteer sample, independent groups design, excluded children with impairments

  PROCEDURE: ppts split into age groups. digit sequences read out loud to them at rate of 1 digit per second, sequence length increased by 1 for each correct one recalled, ppts have to recall the sequence after hearing it, most digits recalled without error = the digit span

  RESULTS: digit span has a larger increase around age 7, rises slowly otherwise

  CONCLUSION: phonological loop, specifically subvocal rehearsal develops at age 7 - pronunciation becomes an important factor
• S+HG AO3 strength


  validity - possible confounding variables controlled by excluding children with impairments = easier to infer cause and effect relationship between age and digit span = good internal validity

  CA: lack of mundane realism as remembering digits not used in everyday memory = lowers ecological validity

  SW: however gives an insight into how memory can work and how it changes with age in a valid way = strength
• S+HG AO3 weakness


  generalisability - volunteer sample = ppts may be 'better' if willing to take part, ppts with impairments excluded = can't generalise to ppl in the community with them, all from madrid = can't generalise to other cultures. sample not representative of wider population so can't generalise to memory in other individuals

  CA: large sample of 570 used, male and females = no gender bias so somewhat generalisable

  SW: overall though there was not much variety despite the large sample so can't generalise to others eg older people, other cultures so is a weakness as can't generalise to memory in wider population