Contributions to the History of Psychology: XLVI. The Pioneer Work of Alfred Binet on Children as Eyewitnesses
- 1 February 1988
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Psychological Reports
- Vol. 62 (1) , 271-277
- https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1988.62.1.271
Abstract
The pioneer work of Alfred Binet (1857–1911) on eyewitness testimony (1900) often is cited today in support for a traditional view of the extreme suggestibility of children. Binet, on the other hand, interpreted his findings as showing that suggestibility is not a static trait among children but rather is a function of cognitive and social factors associated with attempts to influence during interrogation. Ironically, those conclusions made nearly 90 years ago are mirrored in modern conceptualizations of the nature of children's suggestibility. In light of renewed interest in historical work on this topic, this paper provides general information about Binet's La suggestibilité (1900) and of some reactions surrounding its publication.Keywords
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