Memory enables generalization to new situations, and memory specificity that preserves individual episodes. This study investigated generalization, memory specificity, and their overnight fate in 141 4‐ to 8‐year‐olds (computerized memory game; 71 females, tested 2020–2021 in Germany). The results replicated age effects in generalization and memory specificity, and a contingency of generalization on object conceptual properties and interobject semantic proximity. Age effects were stronger in generalization than in memory specificity, and generalization was more closely linked to the explicit regularity knowledge in older than in younger children. After an overnight delay, older children retained more generalized and specific memories and showed greater gains but only in generalization. These findings reveal distinct age differences in generalization and memory specificity across childhood.

中文翻译：

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概括性、记忆特异性及其童年命运的年龄差异

记忆可以概括新的情况，记忆的特异性可以保留单个事件。这项研究调查了 141 名 4 至 8 岁儿童的概括性、记忆特异性及其夜间命运（计算机化记忆游戏；71 名女性，2020 年至 2021 年在德国进行测试）。结果复制了泛化和记忆特异性中的年龄效应，以及对象概念属性和对象间语义接近性的泛化偶然性。年龄效应在泛化方面比在记忆特异性方面更强，而且年龄较大的孩子比年幼的孩子的泛化与外显规律性知识的联系更紧密。经过一夜的延迟后，年龄较大的孩子保留了更多的概括性和具体性记忆，并且表现出更大的进步，但只是在概括性方面。这些发现揭示了童年时期泛化性和记忆特异性的明显年龄差异。