Individual Differences in Suggestibility and Memory in Young Children

1. Individual Differences in Suggestibility and Memory in Young Children Melinda Hines, Ellyn Sheffield, Elizabeth Moore, and Emily Riviello Conclusions Introduction Results Research regarding both peer influence and individual characteristics which influence children’s suggestibility is inconclusive and limited (Bruck & Melnyck, 2004). The goal of this study was to (a) examine how suggestible young children are to peer influence, and (b) determine how individual differences are related to a child's memory of a witnessed event. • Children who felt less accepted by their peers or had lower scores on working memory and processing speed were significantly more suggestible. Enhancing children’s relationships with their peers and providing them activities to improving working memory and processing speed may reduce children’s suggestibility. • Better performance on short and long term memory tasks was predicted by children’s perception of the competence and acceptance, in addition to how well parents were able to predict their child’s emotional states. Working with parents and children to improve feelings of competence and acceptance and improving parents’ recognition of their child’s emotional cues may serve to improve memory, enhancing school and general task performance. • Four year olds who had parents who reported being more confident, consistent, and authoritative had better memory scores, once again emphasizing the fact that improving the parent/child relationship can have wide spread effects, including the child’s memory. Individual Differences in Suggestibility. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine if any of the assessments administered significantly predicted a child's suggestibility towards peer misinformation. Suggestibility was determined through the use of shift scores (Gudjonsson, 1984). Results revealed 5 predictors that explained 51.9% of the variance (R2=.52, F(24,64) = 1.80, p=.05), including peer acceptance (ß = -.481, p<.05), sequencing abilities (ß =-.352, p<.05), processing speed (ß =-.306, p>.05), syntax recognition (ß =.452, p>.05) and perceived maternal acceptance (ß =.379, p>.05). There were no significant differences in suggestibility between 4 and 5 year olds or boys and girls. Individual Differences in Short and Long Term Memory. Individual differences related to both short and long term memory were examined using factor analysis and multiple regression. Factor analysis of all children yielded three factors, including behavior problems related to the parent/child relationship, acceptance and general competence, and parental emotional sensitivity. A multiple regression using the factors revealed that two factors were significantly related to retention score (R2=.15, F(3, 102) = 5.85,p<.01). It was found that lower scores of acceptance and general competence predicted better scores on short term memory (ß =-.204, p<.05), as did higher scores on parental emotional sensitivity (ß =.320, p<.01). Both factors also significantly predicted long term memory (R2=.11, F(3, 102) = 4.11, p<.01). Differences in Memory by Age: Differences in 4 year olds vs. 5 year olds were also examined. Factors generated for 5-year-olds did not significantly predict memory, while 4 year old children whose parents reported being confident and authoritative had better memory scores. Participants Participants were 93 four year olds and 62 five year olds from the Baltimore area. 78 boys and 77 girls were included in the analysis. Children were recruited through local preschools and daycares. Method • 4 and 5 year old children watched a puppet show in one of two versions, which differed on several details. Three days later, children who had seen a different version were paired to have a conversation about the puppet show. Children were asked questions about the puppet show and encouraged to discuss their answers. Children in the control condition did not receive any reminders about the puppet show. Retention tests were administered individually the day of the puppet show as well as four days after the conversation about the show. • Children were administered: • The Pictorial Scale for Perceived Competence and Maternal Acceptance, which measures maternal and peer acceptance, and physical and cognitive competence (Harter & Pike, 1984). • The Parent or Teacher Administered Language Test, which assesses pronunciation, working memory, syntax, vocabulary, and letter identification (Stromswold, et al., 2006). • Parents completed: • The Parenting Relationship Questionnaire (PRQ), and • The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), providing information about the parent/child relationship and the child’s overall behavior (Goodman & Scott, 1999).