Children as Witnesses
...he innocent would be convicted. In a series of studies, children between the ages of 3 and 6 were videotaped during a medical examination. The children’s reactions ranged from stoic and unfazed, to hysterical. When asked to tell about the experience several days later, and to identify the nurse who administered the shot from a lineup of photos. None of the children offered any false information during the free recall. This proved contrary to the belief that emotional arousal might scramble a child’s memory. In fact, those who experienced the most distress was able to provide the most accurate, detailed accounts. Children’s’ memories can be deliberately distorted. In another series of examinations, the initial interview after a medical checkup included misleading questions. Older children (ages 5-7...