Motoric Mediation in Children's Paired-Associate Learning: Effects of Visual and Tactual Contact.

The generation of dynamic mental imagery is known to facilitate paired associate (PA) learning in older subjects. Wolff and Levin (in press) have reported that children who were apparently too young to generate mental imagery of this kind did benefit from self-generated motoric interactions involving pairs of toys. Since the result was obtained whether or not the child could see the objects he was manipulating, it was interpreted as supporting Piaget's contention that imagery production in the pre-imagery child requires the internalization of motor actions. In the present study, we examined the child's ability to generate memory-enhancing interactions between object pairs when either visual contact with the objects, tactual contact, or both were absent. The PA performance of each of these activity groups (Visual-tactual, Visual-No Tactual, No Visual-Tactual, and No Visual-No Tactual) was compared with corresponding control groups which received imagery instructions, but had no opportunity to manipulate the object pairs. Rated quality of overt manipulation was lowered by the absence of tactual contact with the objects, but not by the absence of visual contact. Quality of manipulation was positively related to amount of facilitation of PA performance. These results support the involvement of overt activity in the young child's imagery production and learning, and also demonstrate the kindergarten child's inability to produce ongoing thematic activity when this activity is physically separated from the objects involved. (Author)