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Comparative study of visual and verbal short-term memory in English and Spanish speakers: Testing a linguistic hypothesis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2009

Javier Olazaran ,
Diane M. Jacobs  and
Yaakov Stern
Javier Olazaran
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology and Gertrude H. Sergicvsky Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032
Diane M. Jacobs
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology and Gertrude H. Sergicvsky Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032
Yaakov Stern
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology and Gertrude H. Sergicvsky Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032
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Abstract

It has been proposed that differences in digit span performance between English and Spanish speakers are due to the greater number of syllables per digit in the Spanish language. To test this hypothesis, we studied the performance of 30 English- and 30 Spanish-speaking elders on the Wcchsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) Digit Span Subtest, a modified digit span test that was linguistically comparable for both languages, and the Corsi Block Test. Consistent with previous reports, we found that English speakers scored significantly higher than Spanish speakers on WAIS-R Digit Span Forward. Group differences were reduced on the modified Digit Span Forward, but remained significant. English and Spanish speakers scored comparably on Digit Span Backward (WAIS-R and modified) and Visual Span. We suggest that although differences in the number of syllables per digit string are in part responsible for the lower performance of Spanish speakers on Digit Span Forward, cultural and educational issues also contribute to the observed differences between English and Spanish speakers. (J1NS, 1996, 2, 105–110.)

Keywords

Cross-culturalSpanishShort-term memoryDigit Span
Type
Research Articles
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 2 , Issue 2 , March 1996 , pp. 105 - 110
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 1996

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