False Memory In Children

Memory is an important and active system that receives information. Memory is made up of three different stages sensory memory, short term memory, and long term memory. According to the power point presentation, sensory memory refers to short storage of memory that allows an individual to process information as it occurs. Short term memory refers to memory that is only available for a limited time. It is information that is held for seconds or sometimes even minutes. Long term memory refers to memory that is stored for a long period of time and it has an unlimited capacity with the ability to hold as much information as possible. Retrieval is key and it allows individuals to have memories. Episodic memory refers to memory for events that we

have experienced. These events occur at a given time and place, and they are events that come from our life specifically. Episodic memory also involves memories that support autobiographical and meaningful events like our wedding day. A lot of the time episodic memory focuses on remembering and recalling events from the past (Z. Mirnajafizadeh, power point presentation, October 8, 2015).
Episodic Memory
A current study by Hayne, Gross, McNamee, Fitzgibbon, and Tustin (2011) provided children with a test that was referred to as a mental time travel. The test was used to question the children of what might happen to them in the future. In the study, researchers examined three and five year olds using a personalized timeline with pictures of them at different stages of their life. After placing the timeline together with the experimenter, the children were asked to discuss events that they experienced the day before, earlier that day and events that were likely to occur later that day and the day after.
The researchers hypothesized that episodic memory (mental time travel to the past) and episodic foresight (mental time travel to the future) involve the same neural and cognitive processes. For the second hypothesis the researchers hypothesized that episodic memory would appear in children during three to four years of age. After analyzing the results and confirming with their mothers, the responses of the children were highly accurate. Researchers also found that both children three and five year olds were able to provide information about different kind of episodic events that had happened to them or would happen to them.
False Memory
False memory refers to a person recalling an event that did not occur.

Many of the memories that were remembered are usually previous childhood experiences. Dewhurst and Robinson (2004) conducted a study where 5, 8 and 11 year old children were tested on memory illusion. One of the procedures used to test false memories is the DRM paradigm. The DRM paradigm presents a list of words that include a critical word that is typically remembered although it was never presented. During the DRM procedure the children were given five lists that contained eight words. Each list consisted of at least one rhyme and a semantic theme. Each child was tested on their own by the classroom

hallway.
In this study of Dewhurst and Robinson (2004) the researchers hypothesized that false memory would depend on the child’s age. The authors assumed that younger children would be affected by phonological intrusions and for older children’s memories would depend on semantic intrusions. The results of the study indicated that all children from each age group developed false memories. All of the false memories produced varied with the child’s age. Dewhurst and Robinson (2004) results suggest that five year old children made phonological associations and falsely remembered words that rhymed with the original list. The eight year olds experienced both semantic and phonological errors. The 11 year olds created false memories by recalling words that were semantically similar to the original list.
Misinformation Effect
Misinformation effect refers to an impairment that interferes with a person’s ability to recall information and causes memory to become less accurate due to post event information (Memon, Holliday, and Hill 2006). The misinformation effect also occurs when questions contain misleading information. The memories that people recall are likely due to bias suggestions, therefore what was originally seen is not considered. Instead the individuals respond or chose what they were recently questioned about.
Memon, Holliday, and Hill (2006) conducted a study where five year old children were examined for a memory event that included both pre and post event misinformation.

The researchers included positive and negative stereotypes about a man; the stereotypes were both consistent and inconsistent. The purpose was to examine how the child would report the male’s visit. After the man’s visit to their school, the children were asked about their experience. The children were told three different stories where the man was represented with a negative stereotypes, a positive stereotype, or no stereotype at all. After reading the narratives they gave the children a recognition test under exclusion and inclusion instructions.
In the first part of the test the children who participated in the study were asked to respond “yes” when they recalled seeing the man visit their school and had to respond “no” to all other questions. On the second part the children were asked to answer “yes” to details they recalled hearing in the post event narrative and “no” to all other things. The results from Memon, Holliday, Hill (2006) indicated that the child would decline negative misinformation more than those who were given positive misinformation.

Conclusion
Memory is such an important part of our brain. Memories allow individuals to be aware of how much information is learned and how much information is able to be stored. Without memory we would be lost and unable to recall certain occurrences in our life. The previously discussed topics were sensory memory, short term memory and long term memory. The study in episodic memory concluded that children are able to experience mental time travel at an early age. In regards to the false memory the study concluded that every child creates false memories regardless of their age. In the last study research suggested that children would decline negative misinformation when given positive misinformation. Memory gives us the ability to recall special events in our life. We are able to retain these memories for a short amount of time or in long term memory for unlimited capacity.