Maltreatment increases spontaneous false memories but decreases suggestion‐induced false memories in children
Date
2017
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Publisher
British Journal of Developmental Psychology
Abstract
We examined the creation of spontaneous and suggestion-induced false memories in maltreated and non-maltreated children. Maltreated and non-maltreated children were involved in a Deese–Roediger–McDermott false memory paradigm where they studied and remembered negative and neutral word lists. Suggestion-induced false memories were created using a misinformation procedure during which both maltreated and non-maltreated children viewed a negative video (i.e., bank robbery) and later received suggestive misinformation concerning the event. Our results showed that maltreated children had higher levels of spontaneous negative false memories but lower levels of suggestion-induced false memories as compared to non-maltreated children. Collectively, our study demonstrates that maltreatment both increases and decreases susceptibility to memory illusions depending on the type of false memory being induced.
Description
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Keywords
false memories, child maltreatment
Citation
Otgaar, H., Howe, M. L., & Muris, P. (2017). Maltreatment increases spontaneous false memories but decreases suggestion‐induced false memories in children. British Journal of Developmental Psychology. Online ahead of print. DOI: 10.1111/bjdp.12177