Higher cognitive functions are reliably predicted by working memory
measures from two domains: children's performance on complex span tasks,
and infants' looking behavior. Despite the similar predictive power
across these research areas, theories of working memory development have
not connected these different task types and developmental periods. The
current project works to bridge this gap with a processoriented theory,
focusing on two tasks assessing visual working memory capacity in
infants (the change-preference task) versus children and adults (the
change detection task). Previous results seem inconsistent, with
capacity estimates increasing from one to four items during infancy, but
only two to three items during early childhood. A probable source of
this discrepancy is the different task structures used with each age
group, but prior theories were not suffi ciently specific to relate
performance across tasks. The current theory focuses on cognitive
dynamics, that is, the formation, maintenance, and use of memory
representations within task contexts over development. This theory was
formalized in a computational model to generate three predictions: 1)
increasing capacity estimates in the change-preference task beyond
infancy; 2) higher capacity estimates in change-preference versus change
detection when tested within individuals; and 3) correlated performance
across tasks because both rely on the same underlying memory system.
Lastly, model simulations tested a fourth prediction: development across
tasks could be explained through increasing real-time stability,
realized computationally as strengthening connectivity. Results confi
rmed these predictions, supporting the cognitive dynamics account of
performance and development changes in real-time stability.
