Eyewitness Memory Ceci et al'

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Eyewitness Memory (Ceci et al.)
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Bruck, M., Ceci, S. J., Principe, G. F. (2006).
The child and the law. In W. Damon R. M. Lerner
(Series Ed.) K. Ann Renninger I. E. Sigel
(Vol. Eds.), Handbook of child psychology Vol.
4. Child psychology in practice (6th ed., pp.
776-816). New York Wiley.
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Ceci et al. Suggestibility is childrens
proneness to give false reports of their
experiences.the degree to which the encoding,
storage, retrieval, and reporting of events can
be influenced by a range of cognitive and social
factors.
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Childrens Eyewitness Memory Challenges in
Research

• Creating or finding situations with some
  similarity to real-life abuse
• Devising questioning similar to that in real-life
  cases

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Prosecutor Did she touch you with a
spoon?Child No.Prosecutor No? Okay. Did you
like it when she touched you with the
spoon?Child No.Prosecutor No? Why not?Child
I dont know.Prosecutor You dont know?Child
No.Prosecutor What did you say to Kelly when
she touched you?Child I dont like that.
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Prosecutor Did you have to lay on top of
Bridget?Bobby YesProsecutor And when you were
laying on top of Bridget, where was your
private?Bobby I forgot.Prosecutor Do you
remember telling Miss Judy that you had to put
her private next to her private? Did you have to
do that, Bobby?Bobby No sir.Prosecutor What
did you say?Bobby No sir.Prosecutor Did you
say No or Yes?Bobby Yes sir.
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Leichtman, M. D., Ceci, S. J. (1995). The
effects of stereotypes and suggestions on
preschoolers reports. Developmental Psychology,
31, 568-578.
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Four Conditions
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Four Conditions

• Control

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Four Conditions

• Control
• Suggestions

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Four Conditions

• Control
• Suggestions
• Stereotype

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Four Conditions

• Control
• Suggestions
• Stereotype
• Suggestions plus Stereotype

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Saywitz, K. J., Goodman, G. S., Nicholas, E.,
Moan, S. F. (1991). Childrens memories of a
physical examination involving genital touch
Implications for reports of child sexual abuse.
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology,
59,682-691.
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Saywitz et. (1991)

• Participants 5- and 7-year-old girls
• Memory for medical exam
• For half, genital and anal examination
• Memory test 1 week or 1 month later
• Free recall, direct questions, misleading
  questions

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General Conclusions

• Controversial
• Omission-Commission
• Open-ended-Specific
• Optimal-Leading/Suggestive
• Age

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Exam
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Exam

• 50 points

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Exam

• 50 points
• 9 of 11 definitions2 points each

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Exam

• 50 points
• 9 of 11 definitions2 points each
• 4 of 5 short answers8 points each