Scientific data of the Munich Longitudinal Study on the Genesis of Individual Competencies (LOGIC): Memory development

Research Questions/Hypotheses:

Research Design:

Questionnaire Data: Fully Standardized Survey Instrument; Experimental Data: Laboratory Experiment; repeated measurements

Measurement Instruments/Apparatus:

Memory capacity was tested using tasks for word and sentence memory (cf. Schneider, Knopf & Sodian, 2009). During the word and sentence span tasks, words and short phrases were presented and had to be repeated in the correct order. The number of words/sentences was continually increased until the working memory’s capacity limit was reached and the words/sentences could hardly be repeated any more. The number of words/sentences that were just barely able to be repeated correctly was considered memory span. The sentence span task was performed at ages 6, 7, 8, 10, 18 and 23 years. The word span task was used at ages 4, 6, 7, 8 and 11 years.

Modeled after a procedure from Fox and Routh (1976, 1984), a pair association task was performed. The subjects had to memorize the names of letter-like symbols and were then tested. The symbol names were repeated once again if the allocation was false or missing. The subjects received a total of 6 attempts, during which the order of the symbols was varied randomly. If two symbols in a row were allocated correctly, the attempt was discontinued early. The pair association task was used at ages 6, 7, 8 and 11 years.

To assess strategic, conscious learning and memory of categorizing terms, a sort-recall task was used. A large number of pictures on cards were to be memorized in a short time and then recalled as completely as possible. The objects on the cards could be sorted using categories (e.g. colour, furniture etc.) Strategies relevant to memory such as organizing (clustering) the items during the learning phase and during recall from long-term memory were assessed. The sort-recall task was performed at ages 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 18 and 23 years.

Relationships between meta-memory and memory were studied in two experiments. Both experiments are based on a concealment task for which retrieval cues can be used. These retrieval-cue tasks with meta-memory were investigated at 5 and 7 years (Schneider & Sodian, 1988).
To assess knowledge about the usefulness of retrieval cues, an interview from C. Beal (1985) was used at ages 7 and 9 years.

Autobiographical Memory and Text Memory
To assess autobiographical memory, interview questions about standardized events were asked in waves 1 to 9 (each adapted for age). These were staged events in kindergarten, visits at the Max Planck Institute and film events. To assess text memory, different stories were presented and then remembered freely as well as possible. The datasets on autobiographical and text memory are still being processed and will be made available as soon as possible.

Data Collection Method:

Data collection in the presence of an experimenter

• Individual Administration
• Paper and Pencil
• Photographs, Video and Audio Recordings 
• reaction time

Population:

Children (followed up into young adulthood)

Survey Time Period:

1st wave: 1984 – 1985
2nd wave: 1985 – 1986
3rd wave: 1986 – 1987
4th wave: 1987 – 1988
5th wave: 1988 – 1989
6th wave: 1989 – 1990
7th wave: 1990 – 1991
8th wave: 1991 – 1992
9th wave: 1992 – 1993
10th wave: 1997 – 1998
11th wave: 2003 – 2005

Sample:

Selection of 20 kindergartens in Greater Munich and in the Fürstenfeldbruck area (near Munich), that corresponded to socio-economic criteria of (West) Germany’s general population in the year 1984. After information sessions at each of the facilities, 205 children were recruited. After the first assessment year (wave 1) approx. another 20 children were recruited

Gender Distribution:

1st wave: 49% female subjects (n=100); 51% male subjects (n=105)
2nd wave: 48% female subjects (n=104); 52% male subjects (n=113)
3rd wave: 48% female subjects (n=102); 52% male subjects (n=111)
4th wave: 49% female subjects (n=98); 51% male subjects (n=105)
5th wave: 48% female subjects (n=96); 52% male subjects (n=104)
6th wave: 48% female subjects (n=93); 52% male subjects (n=100)
7th wave: 48% female subjects (n=93); 52% male subjects (n=101)
8th wave: 47% female subjects (n=89); 53% male subjects (n=100)
9th wave: 47% female subjects (n=87); 53% male subjects (n=99)
10th wave: 47% female subjects (n=81); 53% male subjects (n=93)

Age Distribution: 4 – 12 years (wave 1 – 9); 18 years (wave 10); 23 years (wave 11)

Spatial Coverage (Country/Region/City): Germany/Bavaria/Munich

Subject Recruitment:

Personal contact to parents and subjects through psychological-technical assistants over the course of 20 years. Small gifts on special occasions. Yearly Christmas and birthday greetings with individually selected post cards. Individual aptitude tests for schooling and career paths as well as general counselling offered and performed by academic staff. Publication of a newsletter for the sample in the early assessment waves. Festive completion event in 1993 with gifts. Copy of the book “Development in Childhood” sent free of charge. During waves 10 and 11, subject compensation and offer of comparative performance evaluation.

Sample Size:

205 individuales (wave 1)

Return/Drop Out:

After a drop out of 13 children in wave 2, a further 25 children were recruited, resulting in the following sample sizes for the further waves: 217 in wave 2; 213 in wave 3; 204 in wave 4; 200 in wave 5; 195 in wave 6; 194 in wave 7; 189 in wave 8; 186 in wave 9; 176 in wave 10 and still 153 subjects in wave 11.
The response rate was 74.6% in wave 11. The data on sample sizes refer to the entire LOGIC study. The number of subjects may vary between each of the single assessments.