ABSTRACT
Episodic memory improves with early development (e.g., from birth to late childhood), and then declines with advanced aging (e.g., from early to late adulthood). These changes are linked to the development and decline, respectively, of brain mechanisms and cognitive strategies that are critical for memory. This chapter reviews research on how development and aging affect true and false memories in converging associates tasks (for broader reviews of developmental effects on memory errors, see Ceci & Bruck, 1993; Reyna & Lloyd, 1997; Reyna, Mills, Estrada, & Brainerd, in press; and for a review of aging effects see Pierce, Simons, & Schacter, 2004). The general consensus from these and other areas of research is that children and older adults are more susceptible to false memories than healthy young adults. However, the extent of these effects is not without debate. Whether or not they are found can depend on the type of measurement, individual differences, and important situational factors. To more fully understand these issues one needs to carefully look at how development and aging can differentially affect the various cognitive processes that contribute to true and false memories.
