Preschoolers' Individual Suggestibility and ToM: Effects on Memory and Suggestion

Relationships between individual suggestibility, theory of mind (ToM), memory and suggestion in preschoolers are examined. Ninety-four 94 preschoolers (39-83 months) were administered the Wellman and Liu's ToM scale (2004) and the Spanish adaptation of the Book Suggestibility Scale for Children (BBSC; Melinder, et al., 2005). A week later, children were asked about activities performed in Session 1 for obtaining measures of memory and suggestion acceptance. Regression analyses showed that both individual suggestibility and ToM were relevant predictors, but they were playing different roles related to memory performance and suggestion acceptance. In fact, ToM was a good predictor for memory measures, whereas suggestibility was a good predictor for experimental suggestion acceptance. Thus, in forensic contexts, professionals should pay special attention to preschoolers' memory limitations and their intrinsic vulnerability to suggestions.