Eyewitness Testimony of Children
The following paragraph and questions are a scenario sent to us by a reader.
One afternoon, 4-year old Cheryl came home sobbing and reported that Mr. Johnson, a neighbor and long-time friend, had taken down her pants and touched her "private parts." Her mother was shocked. She had always believed Mr. Johnson to be an honest, decent man, which made her wonder if Cheryl's imagination had simply run wild. Yet Mr. Johnson has sometimes seemed a bit peculiar, so her daughter's claim did have a ring of truth.
Do you think Cheryl is telling the truth? What evidence do you have to support your claim?: According to the story, the only evidence we have to work with is that Cheryl was very upset as a result of what she claims Mr. Johnson did to her. The mother adds to the suspicion of Mr. Johnson because she states that he has sometimes seemed a bit peculiar. A situation as serious as the one at hand makes one believe Cheryl is telling the truth. It's not everyday a 4 year old can come up with a situation like this. At 4 years of age, Cheryl is not very hard to deceive due to the cognitive stage of development she is in. Her personality is straight forward because she does not know how to lie.
What should Cheryl's mother's plan of action be? (Justify each step): Cheryl's mother should contact her local police department and have them speak to Mr. Johnson regarding the incident. She should also ask Cheryl a number of questions to make sure she gets every detail and write down what Cheryl says. If she writes down Cheryl's story she has concrete information, that cannot be effected by a false memory being placed in her mind. Cheryl's mother should also get professional help for Cheryl in case emotional trauma occurred.
What are some interview techniques that should be used- and which should not be used- when talking to Cheryl?: Interviewers should have a neutral tone in their voice when speaking to the child. There should be an absence of any motivation that the event actually occurred. Misleading questions should not be used as they can confuse the child and contribute to misleading them.
This youtube.com video, False memories- Lost in a shopping mall (Loftus, 1992), portrays how easy it is to implant a false memory in someones mind.