本研究の目的は体制化して記憶することを訓練することが可能かどうかという問題を研究することにあった。実験1ではブロック提示法を用いて訓練を行い6才児では訓練試行においては体制化の程度を高めることができるが,テスト試行ではその効果が消失してしまうこと,4才児ではブロック提示法による訓練は訓練試行においてもテスト試行においても効果がないことがわかった。実験2では分類作業をしながら記銘させ,再生時に検索手がかりを与えると訓練の効果をテスト試行まである程度維持できることがわかった。しかし,その効果は再生語数には反映されなかった。実験3では分類作業をしながら記銘する訓練を2回行ったが,やはり訓練の効果は体制化の程度にはあらわれても再生語数には反映されなかった。

The present study attempted the training of young children to organize the recall of categorized materials. Three experiments were carried out by using three different training techniques. A total of 256 kindergarten children at two age levels (4-year-old and 6-year-old) served as Ss. In experiment 1, the Ss memorized a practice list and a test list. Each list was made up of four words from four different categories (animal, fruit, clothing, and musical instrument). The children in the trained condition were presented with the practice list in a categorically blocked order, and were instructed to use the grouping strategy while the control Ss were presented with words in a random order, with only general instructions to remember the words. The results indicated that the trained 6-year-old children showed enhanced clustering on the practice trial, but could not maintain this effect on the test trial. The 4-year-old children in the trained condition did not enhance clustering both on the practice and test trials. In Experiment 2, the children in the trained condition were instructed to sort the words on the basis of conceptual category, and were provided with the names of categories as retrieval cues. This organization training facilitated both clustering and recall for the 6-year-old children on the practice trial, although this facilitative effect on recall was not observed on the test trial. The trained 4-year-old children showed a higher level of clustering and recall than the control Ss on the practice trial, but could not maintain this advantage on the test trial when new words from new categories were introduced. In Experiment 3, the trained Ss were given two practice trials where they were instructed to sort the words into categories and memorize these words. This organization training facilitated clustering and recall for the 6-year-old children on the practice trial, but this facilitative effect on recall was not maintained on the test trial. The 4-year-old children having practice trials showed enhanced clustering on the second practice trial, but lost this advantage on the test trial. Considering these results, it was suggested that much more detailed and extensive training is necessary to help children develop and fully use categorization as effective mnemonic aids.