Patrizia M Maier, Iryna Schommartz, Deetje Iggena, Carsten Finke, Christoph J Ploner, Yee Lee Shing
{"title":"Development of spatial memory consolidation: A comparison between children and adults.","authors":"Patrizia M Maier, Iryna Schommartz, Deetje Iggena, Carsten Finke, Christoph J Ploner, Yee Lee Shing","doi":"10.1037/dev0001799","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Successful navigation to spatial locations relies on lasting memories from previous experiences. Spatial navigation undergoes profound maturational changes during childhood. It is unclear how well children can consolidate navigation-based spatial memories and if age-related variations in navigation during training predict spatial memory. The present study examined the immediate and long-delay (after a 2-week period) consolidation of navigation-based spatial memories in 6- to 8-year-old children (n = 33, 18 female/15 male, <i>M</i><sub>age</sub> = 7.61, <i>SD</i><sub>age</sub> = 0.71), 9- to 11-year-old children (<i>n</i> = 32, 13 female/19 male, <i>M</i><sub>age</sub> = 9.90, <i>SD</i><sub>age</sub> = 0.59), and 20- to 30-year-old adults (<i>n</i> = 31, 15 female/16 male, <i>M</i><sub>age</sub> = 23.71, <i>SD</i><sub>age</sub> = 2.87). Our results showed that, with age, participants navigated more efficiently during training and formed better immediate spatial memories. Long-delay spatial memory retention after 2 weeks was comparable between children and adults, indicating robust consolidation even in children. Interestingly, while children successfully distinguished between perceptually detailed landmarks after 2 weeks, their abstract knowledge of spatial boundaries and cognitive map of landmark relations was poor. Developmental trajectories were similar for egocentric and allocentric spatial memory. Age-related variations in initial navigation were predictive of spatial memory, that is, children with a more mature initial navigation were more likely to find and remember spatial locations immediately and after a 2-week delay. Taken together, our results show an overall robust spatial memory consolidation in mid and late childhood that can be predicted by initial navigation behavior, coupled with nuanced age differences in the recall of spatial boundaries and cognitive maps. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":48464,"journal":{"name":"Developmental Psychology","volume":" ","pages":"761-776"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Developmental Psychology","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001799","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2024/9/5 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Successful navigation to spatial locations relies on lasting memories from previous experiences. Spatial navigation undergoes profound maturational changes during childhood. It is unclear how well children can consolidate navigation-based spatial memories and if age-related variations in navigation during training predict spatial memory. The present study examined the immediate and long-delay (after a 2-week period) consolidation of navigation-based spatial memories in 6- to 8-year-old children (n = 33, 18 female/15 male, Mage = 7.61, SDage = 0.71), 9- to 11-year-old children (n = 32, 13 female/19 male, Mage = 9.90, SDage = 0.59), and 20- to 30-year-old adults (n = 31, 15 female/16 male, Mage = 23.71, SDage = 2.87). Our results showed that, with age, participants navigated more efficiently during training and formed better immediate spatial memories. Long-delay spatial memory retention after 2 weeks was comparable between children and adults, indicating robust consolidation even in children. Interestingly, while children successfully distinguished between perceptually detailed landmarks after 2 weeks, their abstract knowledge of spatial boundaries and cognitive map of landmark relations was poor. Developmental trajectories were similar for egocentric and allocentric spatial memory. Age-related variations in initial navigation were predictive of spatial memory, that is, children with a more mature initial navigation were more likely to find and remember spatial locations immediately and after a 2-week delay. Taken together, our results show an overall robust spatial memory consolidation in mid and late childhood that can be predicted by initial navigation behavior, coupled with nuanced age differences in the recall of spatial boundaries and cognitive maps. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).
期刊介绍：
Developmental Psychology ® publishes articles that significantly advance knowledge and theory about development across the life span. The journal focuses on seminal empirical contributions. The journal occasionally publishes exceptionally strong scholarly reviews and theoretical or methodological articles. Studies of any aspect of psychological development are appropriate, as are studies of the biological, social, and cultural factors that affect development. The journal welcomes not only laboratory-based experimental studies but studies employing other rigorous methodologies, such as ethnographies, field research, and secondary analyses of large data sets. We especially seek submissions in new areas of inquiry and submissions that will address contradictory findings or controversies in the field as well as the generalizability of extant findings in new populations. Although most articles in this journal address human development, studies of other species are appropriate if they have important implications for human development. Submissions can consist of single manuscripts, proposed sections, or short reports.
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