This study examined the effects of planting false memories in children, ages 3 to 8 years of age. Twenty children were divided into two groups, according to age. Group one consisted of ten children, ages 3 to 5, and group two consisted of ten children, ages 6 to 8. The experimenter came to the children’s elementary or preschool to have a 30 minute session with a child 3 times a week. During these sessions, the experimenter would tell the child one real event that happened to them, provided by a parent, and one suggested event, provided by the experimenter. The experiment was conducted for one month, and at the end of this month, the experimenter debriefed the child on which suggested story was false, and which was real.

In dividing these groups by age, we would essentially like to see if age would play a role in suggestibility, and false memory.

False Memory: The impact of age and suggestibility on children

Memory can be, and often is, faulty in many ways. Despite h

Brainerd, C.J. & Mojardin, A.H. (1998) Children’s and adults’ spontaneous false memories: Long-term persistence and mere-testing effects. Child Development, 69, 1361-1377.

One famous psychologist and memory researcher, Piaget, actually had an experience of recollecting a false memory. Piaget recounted that one of his most vivid recollections from early childhood was of an attempted kidnapping that was successfully resisted by his nanny. He learned as an adult that the nanny had invented the story of the attempted kidnapping in order to garner attention (McBrien & Dagenbach, 1998). Piaget’s exclusive encounter in this area led him to the theory that he must of heard this story being discussed as a child, imagined what it would be like, and subsequently retrieved the imagined version from memory without realizing its source.

The experimenter administered the 30-minute sessions with the students in a comfortable setting, usually in the school counselor’s office. The only materials used were a pen, pencil, and a legal pad. The experimenter also used a computer to keep up with the student’s results.

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Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)