ABSTRACT
Imagine how 8 year-olds might try to remember 20 pictures spread out on a table. They might scan the items systematically, group similar pictures together, and proceed to label and rehearse them as study techniques. Recall would probably be very good and children would be credited with effective use of appropriate strategies. But what is the interpretation of performance if children only stare at the pictures and exhibit no overt grouping, labeling, or rehearsal? A cognitive interpretation might attribute poor recall to (a) lack of organized knowledge about the stimuli (Chi, 1978), (b) inadequate knowledge and control of cognitive strategies (Pressley, Forrest-Pressley, Elliot-Faust, & Miller, 1985), or (c) poor metacognition (Brown, 1978). Cognitive deficiencies, though, are not the only possible explanations for apparently nonstrategic behavior and poor recall. Children may have beliefs and attitudes that interfere with effective remembering. For example, they might believe that grouping and rehearsal are silly or timeconsuming. Some children might believe that they are unable to place pictures into groups properly or that some other tactic, perhaps staring, is better. More generally, children may believe that the consequences for failure are minimal or severe and thus act in a manner that will remove them quickly from the situation to more appealing options elsewhere.
