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Question 1

What is the Loftus 1974 study background?

Answer 1

1. A sample of 45 students watched slides, film clips or a videotape of car accidents.
2. They were asked for the speed of the car at the time of collision–after they were told that the car either smashed, collided, bumped, hit or contacted.
3. Estimate’s were higher for smashed at 40.8mph, compared with contacted at 31.8mph.
4. Also they were asked whether they saw any glass. Higher percentages were found with regards to ‘smashed’ than ‘hit’.

Question 2

2. Loftus Miller & Burns 1978

Answer 2

1. Participants were shown 2 images with a Datsun at either a ‘stop’ and ‘yield’ sign.
2. After this they were asked what speed the car was going when it crossed the sign.
3. People estimated the car at the stop sign to have greater speed.
4. This is a focus on how schema’s affect eyewitness testimony