Age-related changes in visual recognition memory during infancy and early childhood.

Age-related changes in long-term memory during infancy and early childhood were examined using the Visual Recognition Memory (VRM) procedure. Independent groups of 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year-olds were familiarized with a visual stimulus and were tested either immediately or after a delay that ranged from 24 hr to 6 months. Although all age groups exhibited a significant novelty preference when tested immediately after familiarization, clear age-related differences emerged over longer retention intervals. We conclude that age-related increases in basic retention are a fundamental aspect of mammalian memory development and, in humans, these increases may play a vital role in the offset of childhood amnesia.