Date of Award

2011

Degree Type

Thesis

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Poreh, Amir

Subject Headings

Memory, Non-Verbal Ability Tests, Spatial ability, Adaptability (Psychology) -- Testing, Nonverbal Memory

Abstract

Nonverbal memory focuses on the remembrance of information that cannot be described or put into a verbal component, such as remembering a person's face, identifying abstract stimuli, or remembering objects. Because nonverbal memory focuses on the remembrance of things that cannot be put into words it is a difficult construct to measure accurately. One area that is of great importance in the assessment of nonverbal abilities is spatial memory (Reynolds & Coress, 2007, Foster, Drago, & Harrison, 2009). Most of the tasks that have been developed to assess this construct employ verbally mediated clues allowing the examinee to compensate for their performance using verbal strategies. These measures often rely on planning and organizational (executive) abilities, which should be viewed as a separate construct. One prime example of such a task is the Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure. This test requires grapho-motor skills, intact planning abilities, and it also allows for verbal mediation. The present study examined the utility and validity of a new novel spatial memory test, the Poreh Nonverbal Memory Test. The preliminary data shows that the test acts in a similar fashion as auditory verbal learning tests. Namely, during the repeated presentation of the test stimuli, examinees show a logarithmic learning curve. Additionally, the performance correlates with existing measures of visual spatial, supporting its validity in assessing the purported construct.Given the preliminary nature of this study additional research is needed, using clinical populations with lateralized head injuries and executive function impairment to assess the validity of the new test

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