Cognitive 2: Loftus & Palmer 1

Question 0

What was the IV and DV?

Answer 0

IV: wording of the question
DV: answer to the question

Question 1

What was the aim?

Answer 1

Investigate whether language affects memory and cognition of witnesses to a collision.

Question 2

Who were the PPs?

Answer 2

• 45 Washington College students

- 5 conditions with 9 PPs per word

Question 3

What were the conditions?

Answer 3

Smashed
Collided 
Bumped
Hit
Contacted

Question 4

What was the background?

Answer 4

• Investigating how witnesses were questioned post to an event, such as a collision
• Bartlett’s study= asked PPs to recall and draw an owl 10 times over a period of time, he claimed emotion felt at the time+stereotypes affect memory

Question 5

What were the results?

Answer 5

Smashed: 40.8mph
Collided: 39.3mph
Bumped: 38.1mph
Hit: 34mph
Contacted: 31.8mph

Question 6

What are some criticisms?

Answer 6

• low population validity= students
• low Eco validity= in a lab, irl would be smells, sounds, tastes, etc.
• order effects as repeated 7 times
• urban area (Seattle)= PPs more experienced in road collisions

Question 7

What are some possible improvements?

Answer 7

• Increase population v= stratified sampling including different ages as less or more experience of driving
• Decrease order effects by not repeating so much
• Increase Eco v= watch a live fake performance