The effect of a prior cognitive interview on children's acceptance of misinformation

Abstract

This research examined whether a Cognitive interview facilitates correct recall in children aged 4 to 5 and 9 to 10 years, and whether a Cognitive interview given before post-event misinformation reduces children's reporting of suggestions on subsequent memory tests. Children were presented with an event followed the next day by a Cognitive or a Memorandum interview. Children were then read a post-event summary containing misleading suggestions. The next day all children were given both standard test and modified forced-choice cued-recall tests. The free recall phase of the Cognitive interview elicited the greatest number of correct details. Age differences were found such that 9- to 10-year-old children's reports were more accurate and more complete than those of the 4- to 5-year-olds. More correct person, action and object details were reported in a Cognitive interview. Misinformation effects were found in both age groups on the standard test whereas on the modified test such an effect was only found in the 4- to 5-year-olds. Children's reporting of suggestions was unaffected by prior interview. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.