Experimental study of working memory in children and adults in the task of delayed reproduction of visual presented sequences

The results of experimental study of memorizing and delayed reproduction (copying) of unfamiliar contour shapes in children and adult subjects are presented in the article. We analyzed the age-related characteristics of retention of the shapes (sequences) in working memory. 21 children (average age 7.2 y.o) participated in the experiment. They were shown trajectories (consisted of 6 vertical and horizontal lines) and were asked to remember and to reproduce them after acoustical go signal (short click). Go signal was delayed relatively to the end of trajectories exposure by T = 0, 500, 1000, 2000 or 4000 ms. We analyzed the number of errors, reaction time (RT), mean movement time (MT) along a single segment of trajectory, and the mean dwell time (DT) in the vertices of the trajectory. We compared the results with the analogous data collected previously in the sample of adult subjects. The analysis shows that children made more errors. Beside among children the accuracy of the reproduction decreases whit increasing of the delay of go signal. Also it is shown that RT depends on the delay T, and the shape of the dependence is similar among both children and adults. The results allow to assume the transformation of primary sensory-specific representation in an abstract representation of the sequence both in children and in adults.This work was supported by grant RSF № 14-18-037037.