The effects of ongoing task absorption on event-based prospective memory in preschoolers

TitleThe effects of ongoing task absorption on event-based prospective memory in preschoolers
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2019
AuthorsZhang, X, Ballhausen, N, Liu, S, Kliegel, M, Wang, L
JournalEuropean Journal of Developmental Psychology
Volume16
Issue1
Number2
Pagination123–136
Date Published06/2017
ISSN1740-5629
Keywordscomputerized task, Event-based prospective memory, ongoing task absorption, preschoolers, scenario game task, www
Abstract

The current study applied a 2 × 2 experimental design to investigate the effects of ongoing task absorption on event-based prospective memory performance of children aged 3 and 5 years. Children were required to label pictures as ongoing task but to remember to refrain from picture naming and to respond to the target cues in a different way as the prospective memory task. Two differently absorbing ongoing tasks (high absorbing scenario game task vs. low absorbing computer-based task) were administered. Results indicated that prospective memory performance of 5-year-old children was significantly better than that of 3-year-old children. Ongoing task absorption affected the ongoing task performance of preschoolers, but not overall prospective memory performance. Only the 3-year-olds were negatively affected by high ongoing task absorption, which was not the case for the 5-year-olds. The findings are discussed within the light of the multiprocess theory.

URLhttps://doi.org/10.1080/17405629.2017.1346503
DOI10.1080/17405629.2017.1346503
Refereed DesignationRefereed