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Related Experiment Videos

Children's Conversational Memory Regarding a Minor Transgression and a Subsequent Interview.

Stacia N Stolzenberg1, Kelly McWilliams2, Thomas D Lyon3

  • 1Arizona State University.

Psychology, Public Policy, and Law : an Official Law Review of the University of Arizona College of Law and the University of Miami School of Law
|November 28, 2018
PubMed
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Investigating children's memory for conversations, this study found that specific conversation recall questions effectively elicited details from children, even in sensitive situations. This method shows promise for gathering crucial information in legal contexts.

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Child Development
  • Forensic Psychology

Background:

  • Children's conversational memories are vital in child abuse investigations.
  • Understanding how children recall interactions is crucial for accurate testimony.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effectiveness of different recall question types in eliciting children's conversational details.
  • To assess the accuracy and impact of conversation recall questions in sensitive contexts.

Main Methods:

  • 154 children (4-9 years old) interacted with a stranger, some involved in a secret transgression.
  • Children were interviewed immediately and one week later about the interaction and conversations.
  • Recall questions focused on the interaction, conversations with the stranger, and conversations with the interviewer.
Keywords:
child interviewingchildren’s memoryconversational memoryconversational recall

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Conversation recall questions were more effective than interaction recall questions for eliciting conversational details.
  • High accuracy was observed for both recall types, with no significant differences.
  • Questions about coaching increased error rates and secrecy, while source errors were infrequent.
  • Conversation recall questions led to new disclosures of transgressions in a significant number of children.

Conclusions:

  • Recall questions, particularly those focusing on conversations, are valuable tools for eliciting information from children.
  • This method shows potential for improving information gathering in forensic and legal settings.
  • Further research is needed to fully validate the use of recall questions in child testimony.