The Malleability of Developmental Trends in Neutral and Negative Memory Illusions

Overview

Journal J Exp Psychol Gen

Specialty Psychology

Date 2015 Dec 29

PMID 26709588

Citations 16

Authors

Henry Otgaar

Mark L Howe

Nathalie Brackmann

Tom Smeets

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Among many legal professionals and memory researchers there exists the assumption that susceptibility to false memory decreases with age. In 4 misinformation experiments, we show that under conditions that focus on the meaning of experiences, children are not always the most susceptible to suggestion-induced false memories. We begin by presenting a short overview of previous developmental false memory studies, the majority of which have found that the susceptibility to misinformation decreases with age. In Experiment 1, 6/7-year-olds, 11/12-year-olds, and adults received a video and were confronted with misinformation about related but nonpresented details. Older children and adults had higher misinformation acceptance rates than younger children. In Experiment 2, we replicated this finding adding a younger child group (4/6-year-olds). In Experiments 3 and 4, we used new material and again found that susceptibility to misinformation increased with age. Together, these experiments show that children's memory accuracy is not necessarily inferior to that of adults.'

Citing Articles

External and internal influences yield similar memory effects: the role of deception and suggestion.

Otgaar H, Mangiulli I, Battista F, Howe M Front Psychol. 2023; 14:1081528.

PMID: 37701866 PMC: 10494980. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1081528.

False memories formation is increased in individuals with insomnia.

Malloggi S, Conte F, De Rosa O, Righi S, Gronchi G, Ficca G J Sleep Res. 2021; 31(3):e13527.

PMID: 34854152 PMC: 9285031. DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13527.

Bilingualism as a Slice of Swiss Cheese.

Bialystok E Front Psychol. 2021; 12:769323.

PMID: 34819899 PMC: 8606518. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.769323.

Parent-Child Reminiscing about Past Pain as a Preparatory Technique in the Context of Children's Pain: A Narrative Review and Call for Future Research.

Pavlova M, Orr S, Noel M Children (Basel). 2020; 7(9).

PMID: 32906595 PMC: 7552681. DOI: 10.3390/children7090130.

Cannabis increases susceptibility to false memory.

Kloft L, Otgaar H, Blokland A, Monds L, Toennes S, Loftus E Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020; 117(9):4585-4589.

PMID: 32041881 PMC: 7060677. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1920162117.

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