The Memory of Children

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that children in the pre-operational stage of development (ages 2-6) are limited in their ability to think and perceive because they are both egocentric and intuitive, seeing the world only in black and white, and because they believe that all things, both animate and inanimate, have the ability to think and fee. (animism). The author points out that the development of memory in children makes them susceptible to social influences and the recollection of false memories; therefore, children are particularly affected by suggestibility and interviewer bias. The paper suggests future investigation of childhood memory assessment as it relates to education and to children being interviewed in familiar surroundings. The paper includes several long quotations.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Social Influences on Memory in Children
Future Research
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"As it relates to interviewer bias, the article asserts the interviewer bias occurs when an interviewer has a priori of beliefs concerning and event and because of these beliefs fashion the interview to exploit disclosures from the interviewee that are consistent with the interviewer's aforementioned beliefs. The article contends that one characteristic of interviewer bias is the attempt to collect only confirmatory evidence and to evade all questions that may generate disconfirmatory evidence."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Alessi, H. D., & Ballard, M. B. (2001). Memory Development in Children: Implications for Children as Witnesses in Situations of Possible Abuse. Journal of Counseling and Development, 79(4), 398+.
• Bruck M, Ceci SJ, Hembrooke H. 1997a. Children's reports of pleasant and unpleasant events. In Recollections of Trauma: Scientific Research and Clinical Practice, ed. D Read, S Lindsay, pp. 199-219. New York: Plenum
• Ceci, S. J., & Bruck, M. (1993). Suggestibility of the witness: A historical view and synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 133, 403-443.
• Ceci, S. J. & Bruck, M. (1999). The Suggestibility of Children's Memory. Annual Review of Psychology. 419.
• Ceci, S. J., Loftus, E. E, Leichtman, M. D., & Bruck, M. (1994). The possible role of source misattributions in the creation of false beliefs among preschoolers. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypothesis, 42, 304-320.

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