ABSTRACT
Our aim in this chapter is to present a new theoretical perspective on phonological short-term memory (PSTM). The term PSTM is used here to refer to the well-documented capacities of both children and adults to retain sequences of verbal material over short periods of time. In recent years, there has been growing evidence that the model of the phonological loop component of working memory introduced originally by Baddeley and Hitch (1974) and later elaborated by Baddeley (1986) does not provide a complete account of phonological working memory. In this chapter, we take the opportunity to draw together findings from experimental, developmental, and neuropsychological studies of both short-term memory and language processing, with the aim of providing a more comprehensive account of phonological short-term memory function. It will be argued first that the capacity for temporary storage of verbal material develops as a byproduct of the speech input processing system, second that there is a highly interactive relationship between existing long-term knowledge and this pseudo-memory system, and third that this capacity is critical in language learning.
