MUN Psychology - Faculty


Carole Peterson

Currently, research interests focus on memory and on language. For memory, I have been studying children's eyewitness memory for stressful events, namely injuries serious enough to require hospital emergency room treatment. I have been looking at whether children who are extremely upset by an event remember or describe it differently than children who are less upset, how the interviewer's questions can alter the child's recounting of what occurred, and what other individual difference variables (e.g., language skill, temperament, attachment) affect long-term memory for these events. All of these have implications for children's reliability as witnesses in forensic situations. As well, I am studying infantile amnesia, or the age of earliest memory. We are exploring the factors that affect when and what gets remembered years later. For language, I have been studying children's autobiographical narratives, or stories about personal experience. I have been looking at how children acquire narrative skills, and in particular, the role that parents play in helping them learn these skills. Narrative skills seem to be important for helping children acquire literacy; if so, can good narrative skills be taught readily to young children? In particular, can parents be taught ways of interacting with their children that fosters this skill development? In addition, how do narrative skills and memory interact?

McCabe, A., Peterson, C. & Connors, D. M. (in press). Attachment security and narrative elaboration. International Journal of Behavioral Development [View Abstract]

Peterson, C., Pardy, L., Tizzard-Drover, T., & Warren, K. (2005). When initial interviews are delayed a year: Effect on children's 2-year recall. Law & Human Behavior, 29, 527-541. [View Abstract]

Peterson, C. and Parsons, B. (2005). Interviewing former 1- and 2-year-olds about medical emergencies five years later. Law and Human Behavior, 29, 743-754. [View Abstract]

Peterson, C., Grant, V. V., & Boland, L. D. (2005). Childhood amnesia in children and adolescents: Their earliest memories. Memory, 13, 622-637. [View Abstract]

Peterson, C. (2004). Mothers, fathers, and gender: Parental narratives about children. Narrative Inquiry, 14, 323-346. [View Abstract]

Tizzard-Drover, T., & Peterson, C. (2004). The influence of an early interview on long-term recall: A comparative analysis. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 18, 727-745. [View Abstract]

Peterson, C., Parsons, T., & Dean, M. (2004). Providing misleading and reinstatement information a year after it happened: Effects on long-term memory. Memory, 12, 1-13. [View Abstract]

Peterson, C., & McCabe, A. (2004). Echoing our parents: Parental influences on children’s narration. In M.W. Pratt & B.E. Fiese (Eds.), Family stories and the lifecourse: Across time and generations (pp. 27-54). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Sales, J.M., Fivush, R., & Peterson, C. (2003). Parental reminiscing about positive and negative events. Journal of Cognition and Development, 4, 185-211. [View Abstract]

Peterson, C. & Roberts, C. (2003). Like mother, like daughter: Similarities in narrative style. Developmental Psychology, 39, 551-562. [View Abstract]

Peterson, C. (2002). Children’s long-term memory for autobiographical events. Developmental Review, 22, 370-402. [View Abstract]

Peterson, C., Ross, A., & Tucker, V.C. (2002). Hospital emergency rooms and children’s health care attitudes. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 27, 281-291. [View Abstract]

Fivush, R., Peterson, C., & Schwarzmueller, A. (2002). Questions and answers: The credibility of child witnesses in the context of specific questioning techniques. In M.L. Eisen, J.A. Quas, & G.S. Goodman (Eds.), Memory and suggestibility in the forensic interview (pp. 331-354). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Peterson, C., & Biggs, M. (2001). ‘I was really, really, really mad!’: Children’s use of evaluative devices in narratives about emotional events. Sex Roles, 45, 801-826. [View Abstract]

Peterson, C., & Whalen, N. (2001). Five years later: Children’s memory for medical emergencies. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 15, 7-24. [View Abstract]

Peterson, C., Moores, L., & White, G. (2001). Recounting the same events again and again: Children’s consistency across multiple interviews. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 15, 353-371. [View Abstract]

Peterson, C., & Grant, M. (2001). Forced-choice: Are forensic interviewers asking the right questions? Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 33, 118-127. [View Abstract]

Peterson, C. (1999). Children’s memory for medical emergencies: Two years later. Developmental Psychology, 35, 1493-1506. [View Abstract]

Peterson, C., Dowden, C., & Tobin, J. (1999). Interviewing preschoolers: Comparisons of yes/no and wh- questions. Law & Human Behavior, 23, 539-556. [View Abstract]

Peterson, C., Jesso, B., & McCabe, A. (1999). Encouraging narratives in preschoolers: An intervention study. Journal of Child Language, 26, 49-67. [View Abstract]

Peterson, C., & Rideout, R. (1998). Memory for medical emergencies experienced by one and two year olds. Developmental Psychology, 34, 1059-1072. [View Abstract]

Peterson, C., & Biggs, M. (1998). Stitches and casts: Emotionality and narrative coherence. Narrative Inquiry, 8, 51-76. [View Abstract]

Peterson, C., & McCabe, A. (1997). Extending Labov and Waletzky. Journal of Narrative and Life History, 7, 251-258.

Liddell, A., Rabinowitz, F.M., & Peterson, C. (1997). Relationship between age changes in children's dental anxiety and perception of dental experiences. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 21, 619-631. [View Abstract]

Peterson, C., & Biggs, M. (1997). Interviewing children about trauma: Problems with "specific" questions. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 10, 279-290. [View Abstract]

McCabe, A., & Peterson, C. (1997). Meaningful "mistakes": The systematicity of children's connectives in narrative discourse and the social origins of this usage about the past. In Fayol & J. Costermans (Eds.), Processing interclausal relationships in the production and comprehension of text (pp. 139-154). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.