The relationship of confabulation to the memory, intelligence, suggestibility, and personality of juvenile offenders

Abstract

In this study the authors investigate the relationship of confabulation to memory, intelligence, suggestibility, compliance, and personality as measured by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and the Gough Socialisation Scale. The subjects were 108 Icelandic juvenile offenders. Confabulation was measured from the narrative of the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale (GSS 1). The two components of confabulation — distortions and fabrications — were not significantly correlated. Furthermore, confabulation correlated very poorly with the other psychological variables. The only significant findings were a negative relationship of distortions with intelligence as measured with Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices and a positive correlation between Yield 1 and fabrications. The implications of the findings are discussed.

Key Words:

• Confabulation
• Memory
• Personality
• Suggestibility