Training Imagery Production in Young Children Through Motor Involvement.

Kindergarten and first grade children were given a paired-assdciate learning task following one of five types of strategy-training procedures. In the motor training conditions, subjects generated interactions involving pairs of toys by playing with them or by drawing pictures of them. It was found that relative to simple imagery practice, motor training facilitated the performance of kindergarteners, with no differences among four motor training variations. For the first graders, imagery practice by itself was as effective as each of the motor-training procedures. The results are discussed in terms of Piaget's theory of cognitive development and contrasted with previously unsuccessful attempts to induce self-generated elaboration strategies in young children.