Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2026

An Experimental Analysis of Children's Ability to Provide a False Report about a Crime
Published on: May 3, 2016
Confusing the terms "guilty" and "not guilty": implications for alleged offenders with mental retardation
1Pee Dee Regional Center, Florence, SC 29502.
Abstract:
Evaluations of competency to stand trial of 45 alleged offenders with mental retardation were inspected to examine their understanding of "guilty" and "not guilty." Seven defendants (16%) had virtually no knowledge of "guilty" and were judged not competent after a thorough evaluation. None received a jail sentence. Although the criminal justice system served well this group with mental retardation, questions remain about the fate of those not identified. Are some pleading guilty when actually meaning "I did not do it" and being surprised by an unexpected jail sentence?
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Fundamental Attribution Error
Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
False Memories
One primary source of false memories is misattribution, where individuals incorrectly associate external information with...
Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
Intellectual Disability

