Interpersonal Familiarity Affects Children's Reports of Alleged Transgressions: Children's Eyewitness Memory

Although extensive research has examined children's eyewitness memory, relatively little attention has been paid to how children's interpersonal familiarity (contact) with an adult-such as a parent versus a stranger-can affect their memory reports, especially about transgressions. To shed light on this issue, we conducted an experiment in which children were randomly assigned to interact with their own father or with a stranger (e.g., a male confederate). Fathers were then divided as to whether, among all caregivers, they spent the most or equal time in a caregiving role with their child (i.e., majority-contact father vs. nonmajority-contact father). Children's executive function and their memory were then measured. Children who interacted with a majority-contact father, compared to those who interacted with a stranger, were more accurate about the adult's alleged transgressions (falsely suggested during the memory interview). Children's executive function significantly predicted suggestibility. Implications of the findings in relation to the United States' legal system are discussed.