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Najafichaghabouri M, Joslyn PR, Preston E. Idiosyncratic effects of interviewer behavior on the accuracy of children's responses. J Appl Behav Anal 2024; 57:463-472. [PMID: 38404176 DOI: 10.1002/jaba.1065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Children are interviewed to provide information about past events in various contexts (e.g., police interviews, court proceedings, therapeutic interviews). During an interview, various factors may influence the accuracy of children's responses to questions about recent events. However, behavioral research in this area is limited. Sparling et al. (2011) showed that children frequently provided inaccurate responses to questions about video clips they just watched depending on the antecedents (i.e., the way a question was asked) and consequences (i.e., the response of the interviewer to their answers). In the current study, we replicated and extended the procedures reported by Sparling et al. and found that two of five children were sensitive to the various antecedents and consequences that we manipulated. Our findings indicate a need for more research in this area to determine the relevant environmental variables that affect children's response accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milad Najafichaghabouri
- Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
| | - P Raymond Joslyn
- Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Emma Preston
- Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
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2
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Otgaar H, Mangiulli I, Battista F, Howe ML. External and internal influences yield similar memory effects: the role of deception and suggestion. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1081528. [PMID: 37701866 PMCID: PMC10494980 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1081528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
In legal cases, testimonies can become contaminated because of an amalgam of external and internal influences on memory. It is well-established that external influences (e.g., suggestive interviews) can hurt memory. However, less focus has been placed on the impact of internal influences (e.g., lying) on memory. In the current review, we show that the available evidence suggests that both external and internal influences exert similar effects on memory. That is, we review studies showing that suggesting non-occurrences and suggesting non-experiences can lead to omission errors and false memories, respectively. Likewise, these memory effects are also observed when focusing on internal influences. That is, false denials, feigning amnesia and fabrication have been shown to affect memory in terms of forgetting (i.e., omissions) and false memories (i.e., commissions). Also, we show that both external and internal influences can lead to changes in the belief that an event occurred. We argue that in legal cases, triers of fact should concentrate on whether both types of influences might have affected testimonial accuracy in witnesses, victims, and suspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Otgaar
- Leuven Institute of Criminology (LINC), Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Ivan Mangiulli
- Leuven Institute of Criminology (LINC), Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Education, Psychology, and Communication Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Fabiana Battista
- Department of Education, Psychology, and Communication Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Mark L. Howe
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Psychology, City, University of London, London, United Kingdom
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3
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Rosendaul BJ, Su IA, Ceci SJ. Normative developmental vs. reverse developmental trends in memory distortion: a framework to investigate the impact of internal and external influences on memory and their relevance to legal decisions. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1232753. [PMID: 37663364 PMCID: PMC10469085 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1232753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
There are two opposing positions regarding the development of memory: the normative developmental position, and the reverse developmental position. The normative position, which has long been the default presupposition, supports the notion that susceptibility to memory distortion, including false memories, decreases with age. In contrast, the concept of "developmental reversals" supports the notion that susceptibility to memory distortion and false memories increases with age. Each perspective finds support from existing theories as well as from research on endogenous and exogenous sources of influence. In a legal context, having an accurate understanding of the developmental course of false memory can contribute on the one hand to mitigating wrongful convictions and, on the other hand, to appreciating the accuracy of children's statements when warranted. This review aims to integrate the existing literature regarding these seemingly opposite developmental courses and construct a framework outlining the conditions under which we may observe one age trend over the other. This entails an examination of the paradigms that have been invoked to support these competing positions, specifically developmental responses to internal vs. external sources of distortion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany J. Rosendaul
- Child Witness and Cognition Lab, Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
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4
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Bruer KC, Williams S, Evans AD. Lawyers' experience questioning children in Canadian court. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2022; 134:105930. [PMID: 36302285 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND International research has explored lawyer-child interactions in court; however, little focus has been spent examining other aspects of lawyers' interactions with children (e.g., interview preparation; building rapport). OBJECTIVE The present study investigated lawyer's self-reported interactions with child witnesses. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING Participants included 96 lawyers (Mage = 40.34, SD = 11.07; 52 % female) practicing in Canada with experience questioning child witnesses (under 18 years old). METHODS A survey was used to gather self-reported data on how lawyers prepare for, question, and respond to children as witnesses in court. We then explored whether these strategies differed depending on the role of the Canadian lawyer (i.e., prosecution or defence), experience, or gender. RESULTS Results indicate that lawyers report and demonstrate knowledge consistent with current best practices in questioning children. While gender and experience did not appear to play a strong role in lawyer-child interactions, prosecutors reported behavior more consistent with best practices compared to defence lawyers. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide important insight into strengths and weaknesses of lawyer-child interactions in court as well as highlight a strong need for future research to examine the link between self-reported behavior (i.e., perceived behavior) with observable behavior (i.e., actual behavior) in lawyer-child interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaila C Bruer
- Department of Psychology, Luther College at the University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 0A2, Canada.
| | - Shanna Williams
- Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Room 614, Education Building, 3700 McTavish Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1Y2, Canada.
| | - Angela D Evans
- Department of Psychology, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada.
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5
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Pérez-Mata N, Moreno A, Diges M, Peláez M. How Chronological Age, Theory of Mind, and Yield are Interrelated to Memory and Suggestion in Young Children. THE SPANISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 25:e26. [PMID: 36210368 DOI: 10.1017/sjp.2022.22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the interrelations between chronological age, theory of mind (ToM), Yield (as a measure of individual suggestibility), memory and acceptance of experimental suggestion in a sample of children between 3 and 7 years old (N = 106). One week after participants interacted with 'a Teacher', they were asked to recall activities carried out with the Teacher (direct experience) and the contents of a story read to them by the Teacher (indirect experience). Data were examined with an analysis of developmental trajectories, which allows establishing the predictor value of socio-cognitive developmental factors regardless of participants' chronological age. It also estimates predictor values in interaction with the age and determines whether age is the best predictor for performance. As in previous research, results showed that chronological age was the main predictor of memory performance, both for direct experience (i.e., activities performed) and indirect experience (i.e., contents of the story). However, ToM and Yield, together with participants' ages, modulated their acceptance of the external suggestions received (presented only once, one week after the event). A turning point was observed at age 4.6. Below this age, the greater the mentalist skills (higher ToM), the lower was the vulnerability to external suggestion. Still, children below this age characterized individually as being suggestible (Yield medium or high) were more vulnerable to suggestion the younger they were. Thus, developmental socio-cognitive factors might modulate young children's vulnerability to external suggestions, even if received only once.
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Otgaar H, Curci A, Mangiulli I, Battista F, Rizzotti E, Sartori G. A court ruled case on therapy-induced false memories. J Forensic Sci 2022; 67:2122-2129. [PMID: 35652501 PMCID: PMC9544012 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.15073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We report on a unique Italian criminal case in which a court ruled that a therapist implanted false memories of abuse in a young girl. Using therapeutic excerpts, we show that the therapist used a multitude of problematic interventions that are all linked to false memory creation. Specifically, an analysis of the therapeutic excerpts showed that across many sessions, the therapist asked highly suggestive questions to the girl, implying that she was abused by her father. In addition, the girl underwent EMDR techniques that have been associated with memory undermining effects. Our analyses showed that although before treatment the girl did not have any recollection of being abused by her father, she gradually started to remember the abuse and identified the father as her abuser during the therapeutic sessions. Our case report clearly shows the danger of suggestive pressure in a therapeutic context causing patients to form false memories of abuse and supports the need to prevent the therapeutic practice of suggestive techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Otgaar
- Faculty of Law and Criminology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Antonietta Curci
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Ivan Mangiulli
- Faculty of Law and Criminology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Fabiana Battista
- Faculty of Law and Criminology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Elisa Rizzotti
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Sartori
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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7
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Chung KL, Ding IL, Sumampouw NEJ. Police's and victim care officers' beliefs about memory and investigative interviewing with children: Survey findings from Malaysia. APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/acp.3945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kai Li Chung
- University of Reading Malaysia
- University of Reading
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8
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Hritz AC, Ceci SJ. Lie for Me: Developmental Trends in Acquiescing to a Blatantly False Statement. Front Psychol 2021; 12:691276. [PMID: 34630205 PMCID: PMC8495062 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.691276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A pair of studies demonstrates that simply asking children to make a blatantly false accusation in the guise of helping others can result in both immediate and long-term false claims. In the pilot study, the initial willingness to make a blatantly false statement was associated with some children making false statements a week later despite being told that the first interviewer had made mistakes during the initial interview. On a positive note, the majority of participants accurately stated that they did not have first-hand knowledge of their accusation's accuracy. Across both studies, the rate of false accusation rates was high. The main experiment demonstrated that children who were young, possessed the lowest verbal intelligence or who were from the lowest SES homes made the most accusations. These findings illustrate not only the dangers of encouraging children to make false statements, but the ease and durability of making such false statements.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stephen J Ceci
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
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9
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Battista F, Mangiulli I, Riesthuis P, Curci A, Otgaar H. Do liars really remember what they lied upon? The impact of fabrication on memory. Memory 2021; 29:1076-1090. [PMID: 34339348 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2021.1960380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The present experiment aimed to examine how fabrication can affect memory. In particular, we examined whether different types of fabrication can lead to different mnemonic effects. A sample of 159 participants watched a video of a robbery and subsequently answered some questions about it. Participants were divided into three conditions: one group was instructed to tell the truth (i.e., truth-telling group), while the other two groups were instructed to lie either by partially distorting details (i.e., distortion group) or by completely making up wrong details of the event seen in the video (i.e., fabrication group). Two days later, participants completed a final memory test where they honestly answered recognition and recall questions concerning: (i) memory for the video and (ii) memory for having discussed details during the interview. Results showed that different types of fabrication affect liars' memory differently. Fabricators reported an undermining of memory for the event, whereas those who partially distorted details reported a higher impairment for the interview. Our findings showed that the effects of lying on liars' memory might be determined by the cognitive resources required to lie.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiana Battista
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy.,Leuven Institute of Criminology, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ivan Mangiulli
- Leuven Institute of Criminology, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Paul Riesthuis
- Leuven Institute of Criminology, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Antonietta Curci
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Henry Otgaar
- Leuven Institute of Criminology, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Section Forensic Psychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
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10
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McWilliams K, Stolzenberg SN, Williams S, Lyon T. Increasing maltreated and nonmaltreated children's recall disclosures of a minor transgression: The effects of back-channel utterances, a promise to tell the truth, and a post-recall putative confession. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2021; 116:104073. [PMID: 31409449 PMCID: PMC10129285 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.104073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2018] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children are often hesitant to disclose transgressions, particularly when they feel implicated, and frequently remain reluctant until confronted with direct questions. Given the risks associated with direct questions, an important issue is how interviewers can encourage honesty through recall questions. OBJECTIVE The present study examined the use of three truth induction strategies for increasing the accuracy and productivity of children's reports about a transgression. PARTICIPANTS A total of 285 4-to-9-year-old maltreated and nonmaltreated children. METHODS Each child took part in a play session with a stranger during which the child appeared to break some toys. A research assistant interviewed the child with narrative practice rapport building and recall questions. The study included manipulations of back-channel utterances (brief expressions used to communicate attention and interest), whether (and when) the child was asked to promise to tell the truth, and the use of a post-recall putative confession. RESULTS Back-channel utterances failed to increase disclosure (OR = 0.79 [95% CI: 0.48, 1.31]) but increased the productivity of children's reports about broken (p = 0.04, ηp = 0.02) and unbroken toys (p = 0.004, ηp = 0.03). A promise to tell the truth significantly increased children's disclosures, but only among nonmaltreated children (OR = 3.65 [95% CI: 1.23, 10.90]). The post-recall putative confession elicited new disclosures from about half of children who had failed to disclose. CONCLUSIONS The findings highlight the difficulties of eliciting honest responses from children about suspected transgressions and the need for flexible questioning strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly McWilliams
- Department of Psychology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, 524 West 59th Street, New York, NY 10019, United States.
| | - Stacia N Stolzenberg
- School of Criminology & Criminal Justice, Arizona State University, 411 N. Central Ave., Suite 600, Phoenix, AZ 85004, United States.
| | - Shanna Williams
- Gould School of Law, University of Southern California, 699 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States.
| | - Thomas Lyon
- Gould School of Law, University of Southern California, 699 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States.
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11
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Macleod E, Hobbs L, Admiraal A, La Rooy D, Patterson T. The use and impact of repeated questions in diagnostic child abuse assessment interviews. PSYCHIATRY, PSYCHOLOGY, AND LAW : AN INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF THE AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION OF PSYCHIATRY, PSYCHOLOGY AND LAW 2021; 29:364-380. [PMID: 35756704 PMCID: PMC9225765 DOI: 10.1080/13218719.2021.1910586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
There is limited research regarding the use of repeated questions and the subsequent response from children in real-world forensic contexts. We analysed 71 transcripts of diagnostic assessments in which 3- to 6-year-olds were assessed for suspected abuse experiences. On average, 6% of interviewer questions were repeated, and 47% of the repeated questions were abuse-related. The majority (65%) of the repeated questions were directive, but 33% of the repeated questions contained implicit assumptions. Implicit assumption questions were more likely to be abuse-related. Interviewers repeated questions when the child failed to answer due to playing (31%), for no apparent reason (26%) or for clarification purposes (29%). Children most commonly responded to repeat questions by providing new information (64%), not responding at all (19%) or repeating information (12%). We recommend that interviewers avoid the use of suggestive and repeated questions that contain implicit assumptions in relation to assessment of suspected child abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Macleod
- Research School of Psychology, Australia National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Linda Hobbs
- Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Anita Admiraal
- Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - David La Rooy
- Department of Law and Criminology, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Tess Patterson
- Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Optentia Research Focus Area, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
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12
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Abstract
False memories of autobiographical events can create enormous problems in forensic settings (e.g., false accusations). While multiple studies succeeded in inducing false memories in interview settings, we present research trying to reverse this effect (and thereby reduce the potential damage) by means of two ecologically valid strategies. We first successfully implanted false memories for two plausible autobiographical events (suggested by the students' parents, alongside two true events). Over three repeated interviews, participants developed false memories (measured by state-of-the-art coding) of the suggested events under minimally suggestive conditions (27%) and even more so using massive suggestion (56%). We then used two techniques to reduce false memory endorsement, source sensitization (alerting interviewees to possible external sources of the memories, e.g., family narratives) and false memory sensitization (raising the possibility of false memories being inadvertently created in memory interviews, delivered by a new interviewer). This reversed the false memory build-up over the first three interviews, returning false memory rates in both suggestion conditions to the baseline levels of the first interview (i.e., to ∼15% and ∼25%, respectively). By comparison, true event memories were endorsed at a higher level overall and less affected by either the repeated interviews or the sensitization techniques. In a 1-y follow-up (after the original interviews and debriefing), false memory rates further dropped to 5%, and participants overwhelmingly rejected the false events. One strong practical implication is that false memories can be substantially reduced by easy-to-implement techniques without causing collateral damage to true memories.
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13
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Mazzoni G. Introduction to the special issue. Answering questions raised by a well‐known Italian collective child abuse case. APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/acp.3751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Giuliana Mazzoni
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology University of Roma La Sapienza Rome Italy
- Department of Psychology University of Hull Hull UK
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14
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Erens B, Otgaar H, Patihis L, de Ruiter C. Beliefs About Children's Memory and Child Investigative Interviewing Practices: A Survey in Dutch Child Protection Professionals from 'Safe Home'. Front Psychol 2020; 11:546187. [PMID: 33101122 PMCID: PMC7545118 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.546187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of children’s memory and forensic interviewing skills are crucial in child abuse investigations. Safe Home is the Dutch hotline where both professionals and citizens can report concerns about child abuse or domestic violence. Professionals at Safe Home often serve as first responders to determine the need for a child abuse investigation, protective measures and/or further police investigation. In this study, child protection professionals (N = 158) employed at Safe Home (i.e., behavioral scientists, medical doctors, and social workers) completed an online survey on beliefs about memory functioning and forensic interviewing. In line with earlier studies, we expected to find a lack of knowledge about memory functioning among Safe Home workers. Furthermore, we expected limited use of forensic interviewing methods that have received empirical support. Indeed, we found many professionals endorsed beliefs not in line with current memory research, especially beliefs about repressed and recovered memories. Still, high percentages of professionals also reported memory beliefs related to false memory formation and suggestion that were in line with scientific evidence. Some professionals reported using interviewing methods for which there is no empirical validation. Because child protection professionals are often the first to interview children about allegations of abuse, the current findings identify a need for training in child forensic interviewing, including knowledge of human memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda Erens
- Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Henry Otgaar
- Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.,Leuven Institute of Criminology, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Corine de Ruiter
- Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
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15
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Duron JF, Remko FS. Considerations for Pursuing Multiple Session Forensic Interviews in Child Sexual Abuse Investigations. JOURNAL OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE 2020; 29:138-157. [PMID: 30095357 DOI: 10.1080/10538712.2018.1504263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Revised: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Multiple session forensic interviews (MSFI) are a useful tool in the field of child sexual abuse forensic interviewing given the complexity of disclosures and the variety of child-centered needs observed in practice. This paper focuses on the Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas (CACTX) model for conducting MSFIs, illustrated by a description of the statewide training models offered to member centers and enumeration of the MSFI protocol guidelines implemented by one center. A brief history and review of the single session forensic interview (SSFI) is provided followed by considerations for MSFIs in order to establish the development of current and new practices. Clarification of terms are outlined with examples of cases to distinguish between multiple sessions and subsequent sessions. The MSFI guidelines presented demonstrate how an MSFI can fit with the SSFI model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacquelynn F Duron
- School of Social Work, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
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16
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Quas JA, Dickerson KL. Implicit Encouragement: Enhancing Youth Productivity when Recounting a Stressful Experience. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON CHILD MALTREATMENT : RESEARCH, POLICY AND PRACTICE 2019; 2:239-254. [PMID: 32095780 PMCID: PMC7039258 DOI: 10.1007/s42448-019-00031-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, increasing efforts have been focused on testing strategies of improving victimized children's narrative productivity, given that, for many youth, finding out what has happened to them is crucial to intervening and promoting their well-being. Implicit encouragement strategies, such as back channeling by conversational partners, have shown some preliminary promise, but their precise effects on productivity and accuracy have not been adequately examined. In this study, 98 youth, ages 8-14, completed a laboratory-based stressful activity, and a week later, a surprise memory test regarding what happened in the lab activity. Interviewers varied their use of implicit encouragement. Open-ended recall questions asked youth about both factual details and detail about their feelings and thoughts during the laboratory activity. Implicit encouragement increased the amount of both types of details and had no effect on errors. In fact, few youth provided any incorrect information in their recall reports. Neither age nor stress was related to youth's productivity or accuracy, directly or in conjunction with implicit encouragement. Results highlight the value of interviewers using encouraging behaviors when questioning children and adolescents to elicit a range of information about prior stressful experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodi A. Quas
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, 4201 Social and Behavioral Sciences Gateway, Irvine, CA 92697-7085, USA
| | - Kelli L. Dickerson
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, 4201 Social and Behavioral Sciences Gateway, Irvine, CA 92697-7085, USA
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17
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Gongola J, Scurich N, Lyon TD. Effects of the putative confession instruction on perceptions of children's true and false statements. APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2019; 33:655-661. [PMID: 33574640 DOI: 10.1002/acp.3483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The putative confession (PC) instruction (i.e., "[suspect] told me everything that happened and wants you to tell the truth") during forensic interviews with children has been shown to increase the accuracy of children's statements, but it is unclear whether adults' perceptions are sensitive to this salutary effect. The present study examined how adults perceive children's true and false responses to the PC instruction. Participants (n = 299) watched videotaped interviews of children and rated the child's credibility and the truthfulness of his/her statements. When viewing children's responses to the PC instruction, true and false statements were rated as equally credible, and there was a decrease in accuracy for identifying false denials as lies. These findings suggest that participants viewed the PC instruction as truth-inducing. Implications for the forensic use of the PC instruction are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Gongola
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Nicholas Scurich
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Criminology, Law and Society, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Thomas D Lyon
- Gould School of Law, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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18
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Kask K, Ventsel RH, Toomela A. The relationship between the development of conceptual thinking and children’s responses to different question types. NORDIC PSYCHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/19012276.2019.1586572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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19
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Otgaar H, Howe ML, Merckelbach H, Muris P. Who Is the Better Eyewitness? Sometimes Adults but at Other Times Children. CURRENT DIRECTIONS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2018; 27:378-385. [PMID: 30369724 PMCID: PMC6187487 DOI: 10.1177/0963721418770998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Suggestibility is regarded as a major issue when children testify in court. Many legal professionals and memory researchers view children as inferior witnesses. Although differences in suggestibility exist between children and adults, they are much more complex than is usually assumed. We show that under certain conditions, adults are more susceptible than children to suggestion and false memories. We provide evidence that age-related shifts in suggestibility and false memory appear contingent on how quickly and automatically children and adults make associations when experiencing events. Specifically, when confronted with suggestive information about a related but nonexperienced detail, adults more frequently automatically generate links between items experienced and those already in memory, making them more susceptible to suggestion than children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Otgaar
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University.,Department of Psychology, City, University of London
| | - Mark L Howe
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University.,Department of Psychology, City, University of London
| | | | - Peter Muris
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University
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20
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Cleveland KC, Quas JA, Lyon TD. The effects of implicit encouragement and the putative confession on children's memory reports. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2018; 80:113-122. [PMID: 29604502 PMCID: PMC5953828 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Revised: 03/10/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The current study tested the effects of two interview techniques on children's report productivity and accuracy following exposure to suggestion: implicit encouragement (backchanneling, use of children's names) and the putative confession (telling children that a suspect "told me everything that happened and wants you to tell the truth"). One hundred and forty-three, 3-8-year-old children participated in a classroom event. One week later, they took part in a highly suggestive conversation about the event and then a mock forensic interview in which the two techniques were experimentally manipulated. Greater use of implicit encouragement led to increases, with age, in children's narrative productivity. Neither technique improved or reduced children's accuracy. No increases in errors about previously suggested information were evident when children received either technique. Implications for the use of these techniques in child forensic interviews are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyndra C Cleveland
- Vanderbilt University, Department of Psychology and Human Development, Peabody College, 230 Appleton Place #552, Jesup Building Room 105, Nashville, TN 37203-5721, United States.
| | - Jodi A Quas
- 4328 Social & Behavioral Sciences Gateway, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-7085, United States.
| | - Thomas D Lyon
- University of Southern California, 699 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States.
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21
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Benedan L, Powell MB, Zajac R, Lum JAG, Snow P. Suggestibility in neglected children: The influence of intelligence, language, and social skills. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2018; 79:51-60. [PMID: 29407856 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 01/05/2018] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We administered the GSS-2, a standardised measure of suggestibility, to 5- to 12-year-old children to ascertain whether neglected children's responses to leading questions distinguish them from those of their non-neglected counterparts. Neglected children (n = 75) were more likely than an age-matched sample of non-neglected children (n = 75) to yield to leading questions, despite no difference in their ability to recall the test stimuli. Subsequent collection of individual difference data from the neglected sample revealed that this effect could not be attributed to intelligence, language ability, problem behaviours, age at onset of neglect, or time spent in out-of-home care. With respect to social skill, however, suggestibility was positively correlated with communicative skill, and marginally positively correlated with assertion and engagement. While on the surface our social skills findings seem counter-intuitive, it is possible that maltreated children with relative strengths in these areas have learned to comply with adults in their environment as a way to protect themselves or even foster belonging. Our data, while preliminary, raise interesting questions about whether targeted interventions could help these children to more actively participate in decisions about their lives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Benedan
- University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy; Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Martine B Powell
- Centre for Investigative Interviewing, Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.
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22
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Zajac R, Westera N, Kaladelfos A. The "Good Old Days" of Courtroom Questioning: Changes in the Format of Child Cross-Examination Questions Over 60 Years. CHILD MALTREATMENT 2018; 23:186-195. [PMID: 29020792 DOI: 10.1177/1077559517733815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Recent decades have seen an explosion of research into children's eyewitness capabilities and resulted in legal reform to render the adversarial trial process more child friendly. Many, however, have been left with the feeling that the most intimidating legal process for child complainants-cross-examination-has not changed meaningfully despite its potential to distort children's evidence. To test this possibility, we compared the cross-examination questioning of Australian child sexual abuse complainants in the 1950s to that used in contemporary cases. We found that the format of cross-examination questions has remained largely consistent over time, with leading questions still making up the bulk of the questions asked. The changes that we did observe, however, are concerning. Cross-examination questions posed to contemporary child complainants were less likely to be open-ended and more likely to be complex, relative to those asked in the 1950s. Crucially, contemporary complainants were asked 3 times as many cross-examination questions as they were 60 years ago. These changes are likely to have detrimental effects on child complainants and their evidence and could reduce the ability of jurors to reach just outcomes in these cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Zajac
- 1 Psychology Department, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Nina Westera
- 2 Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia
| | - Andy Kaladelfos
- 2 Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia
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23
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The role of maternal elaborative structure and control in children’s memory and suggestibility for a past event. J Exp Child Psychol 2017; 163:15-31. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2017.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Revised: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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24
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The effects of promising to tell the truth, the putative confession, and recall and recognition questions on maltreated and non-maltreated children's disclosure of a minor transgression. J Exp Child Psychol 2017; 166:266-279. [PMID: 28950167 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2017.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2017] [Revised: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the utility of two interview instructions designed to overcome children's reluctance to disclose transgressions: eliciting a promise from children to tell the truth and the putative confession (telling children that a suspect "told me everything that happened and wants you to tell the truth"). The key questions were whether the instructions increased disclosure in response to recall questions and in response to recognition questions that were less or more explicit about transgressions and whether instructions were differentially effective with age. A total sample of 217 4- to 9-year-old maltreated and comparable non-maltreated children and a stranger played with a set of toys. For half of the children within each group, two of the toys appeared to break while they were playing. The stranger admonished secrecy. Shortly thereafter, children were questioned about what happened in one of three interview conditions. Some children were asked to promise to tell the truth. Others were given the putative confession, and still others received no interview instructions. When coupled with recall questions, the promise was effective at increasing disclosures only among older children, whereas the putative confession was effective regardless of age. Across interview instruction conditions, recognition questions that did not suggest wrongdoing elicited few additional transgression disclosures, whereas recognition questions that explicitly mentioned wrongdoing elicited some true reports but also some false alarms. No differences in disclosure emerged between maltreated and non-maltreated children. Results highlight the potential benefits and limitations of different interviewing approaches when questioning reluctant children.
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25
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Otgaar
- Section Forensic Psychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Psychology, City, University of London, London, UK
| | - Alysha Baker
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, Canada
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26
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Goodman GS, Jones O, McLeod C. Is There Consensus About Children's Memory and Suggestibility? JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2017; 32:926-939. [PMID: 30145963 DOI: 10.1177/0886260516657358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The modern scientific study of children's eyewitness memory was initially motivated, in important part, by the sensational preschool investigations and prosecutions of the 1980s and 1990s (e.g., the McMartin case, the Kelly Michaels case, the Country Walk case). These cases form the centerpiece of Professor Cheit's scholarly book, The Witch-Hunt Narrative. In recent years, researchers have made great strides in helping the legal system tackle some of the complex issues involved in child sexual abuse investigations. While commenting on Professor Cheit's book, we review areas of consensus regarding child forensic interviewing, areas of disconnect between scientific laboratory studies and needs of the legal system, and the potential effects of bias on the scientific enterprise relevant to Professor Cheit's treatise. Although we find that there is consensus in the field regarding a set of general principles, there is often room for disagreement in evaluating a particular case, and there is still much to be learned about how best to interview children when allegations of sexual abuse arise.
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27
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Kim IK, Kwon ES, Ceci SJ. Developmental Reversals in Report Conformity: Psycho-Legal Implications. APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/acp.3309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- In-Kyeong Kim
- Department of Psychology; La Sierra University; Riverside USA
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28
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Otgaar H, de Ruiter C, Howe ML, Hoetmer L, van Reekum P. A Case Concerning Children's False Memories of Abuse: Recommendations Regarding Expert Witness Work. PSYCHIATRY, PSYCHOLOGY, AND LAW : AN INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF THE AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION OF PSYCHIATRY, PSYCHOLOGY AND LAW 2016; 24:365-378. [PMID: 31983961 PMCID: PMC6818307 DOI: 10.1080/13218719.2016.1230924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Expert witnesses can play a major role in legal cases concerning the reliability of statements. Abuse cases frequently contain only the memories of eyewitnesses/victims without the presence of physical evidence. Here, it is of the utmost importance that expert witnesses use scientific evidence for their expert opinion. In this case report, a case is described in which 20 children reported being sexually abused by the same teachers at their elementary school. The investigative steps that were taken by the police and school authorities are reviewed, including how they probably affected memory. In order to provide a sound expert opinion regarding the reliability of these statements, three recommendations are proposed. To reduce the effect of confirmation bias and increase objectivity, it is argued that expert witnesses' reports should contain alternative scenarios, be checked by another expert, and focus on the origin and context of the first statement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Otgaar
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, the Netherlands
- City University of London, UK
| | - Corine de Ruiter
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, the Netherlands
| | - Mark L. Howe
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, the Netherlands
- City University of London, UK
| | - Lisanne Hoetmer
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, the Netherlands
| | - Patricia van Reekum
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, the Netherlands
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29
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Abstract
This study examined how an erroneous rumor circulated among preschoolers can influence their memory. One fourth of the children overheard a rumor from an adult conversation in which it was alleged that an event the children had not experienced themselves had occurred. A second fourth were the classmates of those who overheard the rumor. A third group had no exposure to the rumor. The remaining children actually experienced the event suggested by the rumor. One week later, the children were interviewed in either a neutral or a suggestive manner. Results from a second interview after a 2-week delay revealed that under both interview conditions, children who overheard the rumor, either from the adult conversation or during naturally occurring interactions with classmates, were as likely to report experiencing the rumored but nonexperienced event as were those who actually experienced it. Most reports of the rumored but nonexperienced event were in children's free recall and were accompanied by high levels of fictitious elaboration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle F Principe
- Department of Psychology, Ursinus College, P.O. Box 1000, Collegeville, PA 19426-1000, USA.
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30
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Wyman J, Foster I, Talwar V. An Experimental Analysis of Children's Ability to Provide a False Report about a Crime. J Vis Exp 2016. [PMID: 27168278 DOI: 10.3791/53773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
A considerable amount of research has evaluated children's lie-telling behaviors and skills(1-2); however, limitations with the tasks used for eliciting false testimonies and interviewing children have restricted the generalizability of the findings. The primary aim of the current study is to provide an easy-to-administer and ecologically valid method for measuring the veracity and quality of school-aged children's (ages 6-11) testimonies when they are asked to provide different types of true and false reports. Moreover, the methodology enables researchers to examine the social and developmental factors that could influence the credibility of a child's testimony. In the current study, children will witness a theft, and are then asked to either falsely deny the transgression, falsely accuse a researcher of the theft, or tell the truth. Afterwards, children are to be interviewed by a second researcher using a thorough and ecologically valid interview protocol that requires children to provide closed-ended and free-recall responses about the events with the instigator (E1). Coders then evaluate the length and number of theft-related details the children give throughout the interview, as well as their ability to maintain their true and false reports. The representative results indicate that the truth and lie-telling conditions elicit the intended behaviors from the children. The open-ended interview questions encouraged children to provide free-recall information about their experiences with E1. Moreover, findings from the closed-ended questions suggest that children are significantly better at maintaining their lies with age, and when producing a false denial compared to a false accusation. Results from the current study can be used to develop a greater understanding of the characteristics of children's true and false testimonies about crime, which can potentially benefit law enforcement, legal staff and professionals who interview children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Wyman
- Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University
| | - Ida Foster
- Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University
| | - Victoria Talwar
- Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University;
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31
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Cleveland KC, Quas JA, Lyon TD. Valence, Implicated Actor, and Children's Acquiescence to False Suggestions. JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2016; 43:1-7. [PMID: 26955204 DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2015.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Although adverse effects of suggestive interviewing on children's accuracy are well documented, it remains unclear as to whether these effects vary depending on the valence of and the actor implicated in suggestions. In this study, 124 3-8-year-olds participated in a classroom activity and were later questioned about positive and negative false details. The interviewer provided positive reinforcement when children acquiesced to suggestions and negative feedback when they did not. Following reinforcement or feedback, young children were comparably suggestible for positive and negative details. With age, resistance to suggestions about negative details emerged first, followed by resistance to suggestions about positive details. Across age, more negative feedback was required to induce acquiescence to negative than positive false details. Finally, children were less willing to acquiesce when they (versus the confederate) were implicated. Findings highlight the interactive effects of valence and children's age on their eyewitness performance in suggestive contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyndra C Cleveland
- , , 4201 Social & Behavioral Sciences Gateway, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-7085 United States
| | - Jodi A Quas
- , , 4328 Social & Behavioral Sciences Gateway, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-7085 United States
| | - Thomas D Lyon
- , , University of Southern California, 699 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90089 United States
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32
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Volpini L, Melis M, Petralia S, Rosenberg MD. Measuring Children's Suggestibility in Forensic Interviews. J Forensic Sci 2016; 61:104-8. [DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.12987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2014] [Revised: 07/15/2014] [Accepted: 10/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Volpini
- University of Rome “Sapienza” - Department of Psychology; Via dei Marsi 78 Rome 00185 Italy
| | - Manuela Melis
- University of Rome “Sapienza”; via dei Marsi, 78 Rome 00185 Italy
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33
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Uhl ER, Camilletti CR, Scullin MH, Wood JM. Under Pressure: Individual Differences in Children's Suggestibility in Response to Intense Social Influence. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/sode.12156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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34
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Brackmann N, Otgaar H, Sauerland M, Jelicic M. When Children are the Least Vulnerable to False Memories: A True Report or a Case of Autosuggestion? J Forensic Sci 2015; 61 Suppl 1:S271-5. [PMID: 26249311 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.12926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2014] [Revised: 01/20/2015] [Accepted: 02/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In this case report, a legal case revolving around the reliability of statements given by a 6-year-old girl is described. She claimed to have witnessed her mother being murdered by her father. Two psychological experts provided diametrically opposed opinions about the reliability of her statements. One expert, a clinician, opined that the girl's statements were based on autosuggestion whereas the other expert, a memory researcher, stated that autosuggestion was unlikely to have played a role. This case and the analysis of the experts' opinions illustrate what may happen when experts in court are unaware of the recent literature on (false) memory. That is, recent studies show that autosuggestion is less likely to occur in young children than in older children and adults. The current case stresses the importance and implications of relying on memory experts in cases concerning the reliability of eyewitness statements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Brackmann
- Section Forensic Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.,Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Henry Otgaar
- Section Forensic Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.,Department of Psychology, City University, London, UK
| | - Melanie Sauerland
- Section Forensic Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Marko Jelicic
- Section Forensic Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
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35
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Newton JW, Hobbs SD. Simulating Memory Impairment for Child Sexual Abuse. BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES & THE LAW 2015; 33:407-428. [PMID: 26294381 DOI: 10.1002/bsl.2197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The current study investigated effects of simulated memory impairment on recall of child sexual abuse (CSA) information. A total of 144 adults were tested for memory of a written CSA scenario in which they role-played as the victim. There were four experimental groups and two testing sessions. During Session 1, participants read a CSA story and recalled it truthfully (Genuine group), omitted CSA information (Omission group), exaggerated CSA information (Commission group), or did not recall the story at all (No Rehearsal group). One week later, at Session 2, all participants were told to recount the scenario truthfully, and their memory was then tested using free recall and cued recall questions. The Session 1 manipulation affected memory accuracy during Session 2. Specifically, compared with the Genuine group's performance, the Omission, Commission, or No Rehearsal groups' performance was characterized by increased omission and commission errors and decreased reporting of correct details. Victim blame ratings (i.e., victim responsibility and provocativeness) and participant gender predicted increased error and decreased accuracy, whereas perpetrator blame ratings predicted decreased error and increased accuracy. Findings are discussed in relation to factors that may affect memory for CSA information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy W Newton
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Sue D Hobbs
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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36
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Otgaar H, Howe ML, van Beers J, van Hoof R, Bronzwaer N, Smeets T. The positive ramifications of false memories using a perceptual closure task. JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN MEMORY AND COGNITION 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jarmac.2014.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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37
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Pelisoli C, Herman S, Dell'Aglio DD. Child sexual abuse research knowledge among child abuse professionals and laypersons. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2015; 40:36-47. [PMID: 25192960 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2014.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2014] [Revised: 06/09/2014] [Accepted: 08/11/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The purposes of this study were to: (1) Assess child abuse professionals' and nonprofessionals' knowledge of scientific research findings that are relevant to forensic child sexual abuse (CSA) evaluations and (2) describe associations between child abuse professionals' levels of research knowledge and their education and experience. An 18-item multiple-choice test was administered to 188 child abuse professionals and 457 nonprofessionals (undergraduate college students) in Brazil and the United States. The nonprofessionals' average percent correct, M=44%, was not significantly different than what would be expected for random guessing (45%). The professionals' average percent correct, M=55%, was higher than that of nonprofessionals and random guessing (both ps<.001). The average percent correct score for the US-sample psychologists, M=76%, was higher than the average score of the other professionals, M=51%, p<.001. Professionals' educational level, as measured by the highest academic degree obtained, was positively associated with percent correct scores, Spearman's ρ=.46, p<.001. Controlling for educational attainment, professional experience, as measured by the total number of CSA evaluations performed, was weakly associated with percent correct scores, partial r=.15, p=.04. Percent correct scores were low for both nonprofessionals and professionals. Most of the participants in this study were uninformed or misinformed about scientific research findings that are important for conducting optimal forensic CSA evaluations and for making accurate judgments about the validity of sexual abuse allegations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cátula Pelisoli
- Psychology Department, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600/115, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul CEP 90035-003, Brazil.
| | - Steve Herman
- Psychology Department, University of Hawaii at Hilo, 200 West Kawili Street, Hilo, HI 96720, USA
| | - Débora Dalbosco Dell'Aglio
- Psychology Department, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600/115, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul CEP 90035-003, Brazil
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38
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Macleod E, Gross J, Hayne H. Drawing conclusions: The effect of instructions on children's confabulation and fantasy errors. Memory 2014; 24:21-31. [PMID: 25427789 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2014.982656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Drawing is commonly used in forensic and clinical interviews with children. In these interviews, children are often allowed to draw without specific instructions about the purpose of the drawing materials. Here, we examined whether this practice influenced the accuracy of children's reports. Seventy-four 5- and 6-year-old children were interviewed one to two days after they took part in an interactive event. Some children were given drawing materials to use during the interview. Of these children, some were instructed to draw about the event, and some were given no additional instructions at all. Children who were instructed to draw about the event, or who were interviewed without drawing, made few errors. In contrast, children who drew without being given specific instructions reported more errors that were associated with both confabulation and fantasy. We conclude that, to maximise accuracy during interviews involving drawing, children should be directed to draw specifically about the interview topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Macleod
- a Department of Psychological Medicine , University of Otago , Dunedin , New Zealand
| | - Julien Gross
- b Department of Psychology , University of Otago , Dunedin , New Zealand
| | - Harlene Hayne
- b Department of Psychology , University of Otago , Dunedin , New Zealand
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39
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Hobbs SD, Goodman GS. Child witnesses in the legal system: improving child interviews and understanding juror decisions. BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES & THE LAW 2014; 32:681-685. [PMID: 25537436 DOI: 10.1002/bsl.2151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sue D Hobbs
- Psychology Department, University of California, Davis, CA
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40
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Warren KL, Peterson C. Exploring parent-child discussions of crime and their influence on children's memory. BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES & THE LAW 2014; 32:686-701. [PMID: 25393638 DOI: 10.1002/bsl.2144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 09/28/2014] [Accepted: 10/09/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
When children witness or experience criminal events, the first people they go to are generally parents. Typically, no one else is privy to these conversations, and consequently little is known about their specific content. Research has shown that children can be quite accurate witnesses at times. However, they can also incorporate information from misleading and suggestive questions into their recall, and once their event memory has been changed, children may be unable to provide accurate reports. It is important then to assess parent-child discussions about crime. In the present study, 7- to 10-year-old children watched a video of a theft and talked about it with a parent immediately afterwards, and half had a second immediate interview with a researcher. All were interviewed by a different interviewer 1 week later. Results showed that: parents relied on direct and yes/no questions; children made errors of commission in response to questions; some parents asked leading or misleading questions; children incorporated all correct information from leading questions and nearly 40% of incorrect information from misleading questions; children provided additional information when interviewed by an interviewer 1 week later; and children remained relatively accurate in their descriptions but some were more accurate with parents than with an interviewer 1 week later.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly L Warren
- Psychology Program, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, NL, Canada
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Buck JA, Warren AR, Bruck M, Kuehnle K. How common is "common knowledge" about child witnesses among legal professionals? Comparing interviewers, public defenders, and forensic psychologists with laypeople. BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES & THE LAW 2014; 32:867-883. [PMID: 25475918 DOI: 10.1002/bsl.2150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 09/25/2014] [Accepted: 10/01/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The present study evaluates the knowledge of jury-eligible college students (n = 192), investigative interviewers (n = 44), forensic psychologists (n = 39), and public defenders (n = 137) in regard to the research on interviewing children. These groups' knowledge was compared with the scientific research on the impact of interview techniques and practices on the accuracy of child witnesses. Jury-eligible students were the least knowledgeable, but their accuracy varied widely across items. Both interviewers and public defenders performed better than jury-eligible students, but they lacked substantial knowledge about the research on interviewing children on certain topics (e.g., using anatomically detailed dolls); forensic psychologists were the most knowledgeable. These findings suggest that professionals in the legal system need substantial professional development regarding the research on interviewing strategies with child witnesses. They also highlight the need for experts to provide case-relevant information to juries who lack basic information about the validity and reliability of children's reports.
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Santtila P, Slama S, Korkman J, Finnila K. The ability of psychologists, lawyers and psychology students to predict children's performance in memory and suggestibility experiments. NORDIC PSYCHOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/19012276.2014.918520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Lyon TD, Wandrey L, Ahern E, Licht R, Sim MPY, Quas JA. Eliciting maltreated and nonmaltreated children's transgression disclosures: narrative practice rapport building and a putative confession. Child Dev 2014; 85:1756-69. [PMID: 24467688 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
This study tested the effects of narrative practice rapport building (asking open-ended questions about a neutral event) and a putative confession (telling the child an adult "told me everything that happened and he wants you to tell the truth") on 4- to 9-year-old maltreated and nonmaltreated children's reports of an interaction with a stranger who asked them to keep toy breakage a secret (n = 264). Only one third of children who received no interview manipulations disclosed breakage; in response to a putative confession, one half disclosed. Narrative practice rapport building did not affect the likelihood of disclosure. Maltreated children and nonmaltreated children responded similarly to the manipulations. Neither narrative practice rapport building nor a putative confession increased false reports.
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Stolzenberg SN, Lyon TD. How Attorneys Question Children About the Dynamics of Sexual Abuse and Disclosure in Criminal Trials. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 20:19-30. [PMID: 25242881 DOI: 10.1037/a0035000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Little is known about how the dynamics of sexual abuse and disclosure are discussed in criminal court. We examined how attorneys ask child witnesses in sexual abuse cases (N = 72, 6 -16 years of age) about their prior conversations, both with suspects and with disclosure recipients. Prosecutors' questions were more open-ended than defense attorneys, but most questions asked by either attorney were yes/no questions, and children tended to provide unelaborated responses. Prosecutors were more inclined to ask about children's prior conversations with suspects than defense attorneys, but focused on the immediate abuse rather than on grooming behavior or attempts to silence the victim. Prosecutors were also more inclined to ask about children's motives for disclosing or for failing to disclose than defense attorneys, but in most cases, failed to ask. Both types of attorney asked children about prior disclosures, although defense attorneys were more inclined to ask children to recall specific content in particular disclosures. On average, children were asked about five disclosure recipients, and denied disclosing some information in 93% of cases. Attorneys exhibited little sensitivity to the age of the child in selecting their questions. The implications of the results for improving the process by which abuse cases are tried in court are discussed.
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Otgaar H, Sauerland M, Petrila JP. Novel shifts in memory research and their impact on the legal process: introduction to the special issue on memory formation and suggestibility in the legal process. BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES & THE LAW 2013; 31:531-540. [PMID: 24108575 DOI: 10.1002/bsl.2095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The functioning and frailties of memory are frequently at the centerpiece of much expert testimony about the reliability of eyewitness accounts. Although we have much knowledge about how false memories and suggestibility can affect testimonies, the contributions in this special issue show that when using a sound theoretical framework, novel directions in this field can surface. The papers in this issue can broadly be divided into contributions that are related to: (1) the exact determinants of false memory and suggestibility; (2) new paradigms in legal psychology; (3) positive consequences of memory illusions; and (4) developmental false memory research. Collectively, these contributions have the potential to provide novel shifts in memory research and push this field beyond its current boundaries.
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Kaasa SO, Cauffman E, Clarke-Stewart KA, Loftus EF. False accusations in an investigative context: differences between suggestible and non-suggestible witnesses. BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES & THE LAW 2013; 31:574-592. [PMID: 23852883 DOI: 10.1002/bsl.2075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2012] [Revised: 05/15/2013] [Accepted: 05/22/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
False sexual abuse allegations have spurred research on suggestibility, on the assumption that leading questions may produce false accusations. Most researchers, however, have not measured the likelihood that those who respond to suggestive questioning will take the next step and make a formal (false) accusation. The present study incorporates both aspects of abuse investigations: suggestibility (i.e., responsiveness to questions in a leading interview) and false accusations (i.e., signing a formal complaint against an innocent suspect). Participants (N = 129) were observed in a laboratory session and then interviewed twice about their experiences by an interviewer who suggested that the laboratory assistant had behaved inappropriately. Although only 17% of the participants were suggestible, 39% agreed to sign the complaint. Suggestible participants were significantly more likely to make a false accusation than were non-suggestible participants. However, because of the low rate of suggestibility, most false accusations were made by non-suggestible participants. Implications for the legal system are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne O Kaasa
- Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine
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Macleod E, Gross J, Hayne H. The Clinical and Forensic Value of Information that Children Report While Drawing. APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2013. [DOI: 10.1002/acp.2936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emily Macleod
- Department of Psychological Medicine; University of Otago; Dunedin; New Zealand
| | - Julien Gross
- Psychology Department; University of Otago; Dunedin; New Zealand
| | - Harlene Hayne
- Psychology Department; University of Otago; Dunedin; New Zealand
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Zajac R, Garry M, London K, Goodyear-Smith F, Hayne H. Misconceptions about childhood sexual abuse and child witnesses: Implications for psychological experts in the courtroom. Memory 2013; 21:608-617. [DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2013.778287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Principe GF, Cherson M, DiPuppo J, Schindewolf E. Children's natural conversations following exposure to a rumor: linkages to later false reports. J Exp Child Psychol 2012; 113:383-400. [PMID: 22846669 PMCID: PMC3487110 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2012.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2011] [Revised: 06/06/2012] [Accepted: 06/07/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Previous research has shown that children naturally propagate overheard false rumors and that the circulation of such information can induce children and their peers to wrongly recall actually experiencing rumored-but-nonexperienced events. The current study extends this work by recording 3- to 6-year-olds' naturally occurring conversations following exposure to an erroneous rumor. Results indicate that, compared with children who overhear rumors spread by adults, those who pick up rumors from peers during natural interactions engage in deeper and more inventive rumor mongering. Moreover, the degree and originality of rumor propagation was linked with various qualities of children's subsequent recollections at both 1-week and 4-week delayed interviews. Furthermore, compared with 3- and 4-year-olds, 5- and 6-year-olds naturally transmitted more novel and coherent embellishments of the rumor to their peers, and more of their false narrative reports during the interviews overlapped with their own and their peers' utterances transmitted soon after the rumor was planted.
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Principe GF, Schindewolf E. Natural Conversations as a Source of False Memories in Children: Implications for the Testimony of Young Witnesses. DEVELOPMENTAL REVIEW 2012; 32:205-223. [PMID: 23129880 PMCID: PMC3487111 DOI: 10.1016/j.dr.2012.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Research on factors that can affect the accuracy of children's autobiographical remembering has important implications for understanding the abilities of young witnesses to provide legal testimony. In this article, we review our own recent research on one factor that has much potential to induce errors in children's event recall, namely natural memory sharing conversations with peers and parents. Our studies provide compelling evidence that not only can the content of conversations about the past intrude into later memory but that such exchanges can prompt the generation of entirely false narratives that are more detailed than true accounts of experienced events. Further, our work show that deeper and more creative participation in memory sharing dialogues can boost the damaging effects of conversationally conveyed misinformation. Implications of this collection of findings for children's testimony are discussed.
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