Abstract

This study examined the effect of age, plausibility of events and temporal delay on planting false child memories. Between-subjects variables of this study were an age (6-year-old children, 8-year-old children) and a temporal delay (immediate, 1 day delay), and within-subjects variable was an event plausibility. The subjects were sixty 6-year-old children and sixty one 8-year-old children. They were required to recall two false events by tape recorders. One false event described the child lost in an amusement park (plausible event); the other one described the child receiving an enema (implausible event). The half of each age groups was tested immediately and the rest of them was tested next day. The data was analyzed in terms of Log-linear and x² by the frequency planted false memories. All main effects were statistically significant, while there was not any interaction effect. These results were interpreted as that false memories in children were affected by event plausibility, time-delay and age.