Decoding digit symbol: speed, memory, and visual scanning.

Full Abstract

The authors evaluated the relative contributions of speed, memory, and visual scanning to Digit Symbol score in a sample of young adults (N = 87). Speed (Symbol Copy) explained 35% of Digit Symbol variance; only half of this was attributable to graphomotor speed (Name Printing), implying a role for perceptual speed. Visual-scanning tests (e.g., Symbol Scan) explained (on average) 34% of Digit Symbol variance, much of which was independent of perceptual-motor speed, establishing an important role for visual-scanning efficiency in Digit Symbol performance. By contrast, memory tests (on average) explained only 4% to 5% of Digit Symbol variance:
statistically significant but clearly subsidiary, although a visual memory composite correlated more strongly with Digit Symbol. The Digit Symbol incidental learning procedures did, however, correlate moderately with other memory measures, suggesting that they are valid memory screening devices.

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Author information

Author/s: Joy, Stephen (S); Fein, Deborah (D); Kaplan, Edith (E);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Albertus Magnus College, New Haven, CT 06511, USA. joy(-atsign-)laurel.albertus.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Assessment (Assessment), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-Mar; vol 10 (issue 1) : pp 56-65

Dates: Created 2003/04/04; Completed 2003/06/20; Revised 2004/11/17;

PMID: 12675384, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent
Adult
Eye Movements
Female
Humans

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