Analyzing false memories in children with associative lists specific for their age

Child Dev. 2007 Jul-Aug;78(4):1171-85. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2007.01059.x.

Abstract

Two experiments attempted to resolve previous contradictory findings concerning developmental trends in false memories within the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm by using an improved methodology--constructing age-appropriate associative lists. The research also extended the DRM paradigm to preschoolers. Experiment 1 (N=320) included children in three age groups (preschoolers of 3-4 years, second-graders of 7-8 years, and preadolescents of 11-12 years) and adults, and Experiment 2 (N=64) examined preschoolers and preadolescents. Age-appropriate lists increased false recall. Although preschoolers had fewer false memories than the other age groups, they showed considerable levels of false recall when tested with age-appropriate materials. Results were discussed in terms of fuzzy-trace, source-monitoring, and activation frameworks.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Association Learning*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Free Association
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Repression, Psychology*
  • Semantics*
  • Serial Learning
  • Verbal Learning*