Final answer:
Experts have significant difficulty determining whether a child is lying, as children's developing cognitive abilities and language skills may affect their testimony's accuracy. Neutral questioning and blind photo lineups help reduce suggestibility, but the inherent difficulties in assessing children's eyewitness testimony remain.
Step-by-step explanation:
Research on how 'experts' evaluate the eyewitness testimony of children suggests that you would have significant difficulty telling if the child was lying. This is because young children's cognitive and language development impact their capability to accurately recall and articulate past events. For example, five-year-old children are still developing their theory-of-mind (TOM), which is the understanding that other people have thoughts, feelings, and beliefs different from their own.
The accuracy of children's testimony can be influenced by the way they are questioned; using neutral and less leading language can lead to more accurate recollections. Furthermore, practices like blind photo lineups help minimize the possibility of giving leading cues that could suggest a response to children.
While children at this age experience advancements in cognitive and psychosocial development, distinguishing truths from lies can still be challenging due to their suggestibility and the complexities involved in their communication and comprehension abilities.