Was the stranger alone? On how different sources of social influence affect children's memory reports

In an experimental study on social influence, children (aged 11-12 years, N=176) were interviewed about a personally experienced interaction with a stranger. Before the interview they watched a video-recorded statement from another witness (adult or child), who suggested either that (a) a person who was present during the event (a passenger) had actually not been present, or (b) a non-present person (a passenger) had actually been present. The social influence resulted in both commission and omission errors in children's reports. The children who correctly claimed to have seen a passenger reported significantly more details about this person than did the children who falsely claimed to have seen a passenger. In a target-absent lineup identification task, 87% of the children identified one or several foils.