# VERACITY AND DURABILITY OF EARLY MEMORIES

> **NIH NIH R01** · CORNELL UNIVERSITY · 1992 · $58,380

## Abstract

DESCRIPTION:  (Adapted from investigator's abstract) This research program
proposes to examine the veracity and durability of memories encoded during
the first three years after birth and tested over retention intervals up to
two years later.  The proposed study intends to provide an ecologically
valid empirical test of memory for experiences occurring during this
period.  Infants from 6 to 36 months will be exposed to a puppet for a
period of four weeks (5 min/day, 5 days/week).  The puppet will have
several built-in features designed to permit later tests of memory for
auditory, olfactory, and visual characteristics:  two mittens will be
tailored to fit the puppet's hands, one (color A) attached permanently, and
the other (color B) will be removable.  The removable mitten will contain
age-appropriate treats and these will be continually reinserted into the
mitten for the child to discover every day during his or her 4-week
familiarization period with the puppet.  A mini recorder will be located
within the puppet's head that plays an unfamiliar melody each time its nose
is squeezed.  Finally, the puppet will be fragranced with an unfamiliar,
commercially unavailable scent.

Beginning six months after the familiarization period one third of the
trained sample of infants and toddlers at each age will be compared to a
control group for their recollections of the puppet.  The remaining two
thirds of the sample will be tested either 12 or 24 months later.  This
testing will follow a cohort sequential design that is described below.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 2199313
- **Project number:** 5R01HD024775-03
- **Recipient organization:** CORNELL UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** G56PUALJ3KT5
- **Principal Investigator:** STEPHEN J CECI
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1992
- **Award amount:** $58,380
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1990-08-01 → 1994-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2199313

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 2199313, VERACITY AND DURABILITY OF EARLY MEMORIES (5R01HD024775-03). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/2199313. Licensed CC0.

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