Publication Date
1-1-2007
Document Type
Article
Abstract
This study examined whether reinforcement can induce children to falsely incriminate themselves. Ninety-nine children in kindergarten through third grade were questioned regarding the staged theft of a toy. Half received reinforcement for self-incriminating responses. Within 4 minutes reinforced children made 52% false admissions of guilty knowledge concerning the theft, and 43% false admissions of having witnessed it. Corresponding figures for controls were 36% and 25%. Twelve percent of children admitted to participating in the theft, but the effect of reinforcement was only marginally significant. The findings suggest that reinforcement can sometimes induce children to falsely implicate themselves in wrongdoing.
Publication Title
Law and Human Behavior
