The Effect of Strategic Instruction for Categorical Clustering on Preschoolers’ Recall Accuracy

Categorical clustering involves the grouping of stimuli into meaningful categories when encoding or retrieving to-be-learned information during memory tasks. The current study measured the categorical clustering behavior of 40 three- to four-year-olds who completed a spatial memory task requiring them to remove and return toys to their original locations within a box. After completing the spatial memory task without strategic instruction, participants were randomly assigned to receive instructions to categorically cluster while removing (encoding) or returning the toys (retrieval) to the box, or receive no strategic instruction (control). Results showed increases in clustering behaviors following strategic instruction, suggesting that participants were able to successfully produce clustering behavior following instruction to do so. Although instruction to categorically cluster during encoding and retrieval generated a significant increase in clustering behavior when removing and returning the toys to the box, respectively, it only improved recall for those instructed to categorically cluster when retrieving the toy locations. Increased engagement in categorical clustering when encoding the toy locations negatively impacted recall, resulting in a utilization deficiency for participants instructed to remove the toys according to their category membership. No changes in clustering behavior or recall accuracy were observed in the participants who completed the task a second time without strategic instruction. Implications for the current understanding of utilization deficiencies observed among preschoolers and future directions for research are discussed.