Forks in the road, routes chosen, and journeys that beckon: A selective review of scholarship on children's testimony

摘要

In this brief review, we reflect upon the key contributions of research examining children's eyewitness testimony. Children's testimonial ability became a focus of interest for researchers about 40 years ago in the wake of several high-profile child abuse cases that prompted questions about children's reliability in the face of problematic interviewing and other suggestive influences. Since that time, scholars have examined children's capacity to provide accurate and detailed descriptions of their experiences and also evaluated the impact of various suggestive techniques. We have learned much about the conditions that are likely to promote reliable testimony from children and, conversely, when we might have cause for concern about the veracity of their reports. We highlight here some methodological and translational issues that have plagued the field and suggest some areas for future research focus.