The document provides instructions for an assignment on infantile amnesia. Students are asked to collect data by interviewing classmates about their earliest memories and verifying them. They must then write a paper with four sections: an introduction defining infantile amnesia and why we can't remember early childhood, a methods section describing how data was collected, a results section summarizing the interviews, and a discussion concluding whether the memories were true or constructed and at what age infantile amnesia disappears.

1. Psyc 230: Human Development – Amy Stern
Assignment modified from Drs. Kayla Causey and David Bjorklund
Earliest Memory Paper – 60 Points
Instructions for in-class data collection
 What is your earliest memory as a child?
The earliest memory that I can currently think of is sitting on a sand area during a family trip
in Florida. The trip was to Disney world and I was about 3- 3 ½ years old. I remember sitting
on the sand playing with one of those little plastic beach shovels. I also believe that it was
pink. If I remember correctly just my mom was with me during this moment while the rest of
my family was off on rides or something. I also remember sitting in my stroller on this same
trip while being frightened by “Dopey” from “Snow White and The Sven Dwarfs.” I believe
they were either trying to get a picture or a hug, possibly both, and I was scared and upset.
o Share this in the first discussion board for this topic. How old you were and
describe it in as much detail as you can remember, including sensory information
(sights, sounds, smells, etc.).
o The memory should be something you can verify with a parent or sibling.
 This week,try to verify your memory with some other person (parent or sibling).
o Post into your discussion board again, describing what you were able to verify
and what you were not.
 Choose TWO of your classmates and use their responses, as well as your own, to write your
paper. Those discussions will serve as the “interviews” for this assignment.
Instructions for writing-up results
 After you have collected data for your group, write a 4-part paper as follows:
1. Introduction (13 points):
 Title is something that represents paper and findings (2 points)
 Define infantile amnesia. (1 point)
 Why can’t we remember events from infancy? (5 points)
 What accounts for some instances where people believe they can? (5 points)
2. Methods (10 points):
 Describe the procedures used to collect the data. (5 points)
o Self-report and interview
o Verification
 How many participants were there and (Roughly) how old are your participants? (5
points)
3. Results (12 points):
 Briefly describe your earliest memory and your participants’. (6 points)
 Include how old you/they were and whether and how the memories were verified. (6
points)
4. Discussion/Conclusions (25 points):
 Draw some conclusions about the validity of each participants’ memory
 –Are they true memories or constructed memories? (3 points)

2. Psyc 230: Human Development – Amy Stern
Assignment modified from Drs. Kayla Causey and David Bjorklund
 –What led you to this conclusion (was the memory verified or
perhaps reconstructed from photos, videos, or family stories?). (6
points)
 Finally, based on your findings, conclude with a statement about what age you think
infantile amnesia “disappears.” (16 points)
See below for proper paper formatting and a more detailed rubric. Errors in spelling, grammar,
etc. will result in points taken off in the section in which the error is found. If using citations, be
sure to use APA Style. Refer to your APA Style Guide or to this web site for help on APA Style:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/10/

3. Psyc 230: Human Development – Amy Stern
Assignment modified from Drs. Kayla Causey and David Bjorklund
Title should be something that describes your paper, not just “Infantile Amnesia” – what
was the main thing you learned and want to convey? That should be your title.
Begin right away with the introduction. No section header is needed here. State
what you have learned about infantile amnesia form this course. You should write this
section prior to conducting your interviews. This section will be graded as follows: 2
points for an appropriate paper title; 1 point1 for correctly defining infantile amnesia IN
YOUR OWN WORDS; 5 points for explaining why people cannot remember events
from infancy. 5 points for explaining what is happening when people say they can
remember events from infancy.
Method
Explain what you did in enough detail that someone could replicate your study.
HOW did you contact these people? How did you conduct your interview? (5 points).
Give the number of participants in your study and their current ages (5 points).
Results
Fully describe the responses of each person. Use quotes only when necessary; try
to summarize or paraphrase, for the most part. Note: Although you should paraphrase
where possible, I would rather see quotes than plagiarism, so be sure to quote when
appropriate. (6 points for recapping the memories; 6 points for giving ages of participants
when they had their earliest memory and whether and how the memory was verified).
Discussion
Draw some conclusions about the validity of each participants’ memory. Were the
memories true or constructed (3 points). Why? (6 points) Ideally, combine your results
into one paragraph for discussion rather than describing results in three separate
paragraphs.

4. Psyc 230: Human Development – Amy Stern
Assignment modified from Drs. Kayla Causey and David Bjorklund
Based on your findings, what age does infantile amnesia “disappear”? When can
we truly start remembering? Your conclusion should follow from your results. (16 points)
Rubric Checklist
Points
Given Possible Criteria
Introduction
2 Title that communicates the main point of the paper
1 Correct definition of infantile amnesia
5 Explanation of why we can't remember events from infancy
5
Explanation of why some people believe they can remember from
infancy
Method
5
Method for conducting interviews is detailed enough to be
replicated
1 Number of participants
4 Age of participants
Results
2 Summary of interview 1
2 Summary of interview 2
2 Summary of interview 3
2 Age of participant 1 in memory and whether and how it was verified
2 Age of participant 1 in memory and whether and how it was verified
2 Age of participant 1 in memory and whether and how it was verified
Discussion
3 Explanation of whether the memories were true or constructed
6 Explanation of why the memories were true or constructed
8
Conclusion of at what age does infantile amnesia disappears.
Support your claimwith evidence
8 Conclusion is supported with evidence
0 60