Comparisons between studies

Question 1

SIMILARITY:
Loftus and Grant both used the experimental method

Answer 1

This means that an IV was manipulated, DV was measured in both studies
Loftus: Manipulated the strength of verb in a critical question (IV) to see what effect this would have on speed estimates given by P’s (DV)
Grant: Manipulated whether the conditions at encoding and retrieval were noisy or silent (IV) to see the effects of this on P’s memory (DV)

Question 2

SIMILARITY:
Loftus and Grant both used controls in their studies

Answer 2

This means there were elements in the studies which were kept unchanged and unaffected by other variables

Loftus: All P’s saw the same video of the car crash to test their reaction to verb changes in one of the questions about car speed
Grant: P’s all received the same 16 MCQs on the article of Psychoimmunology to test their performance when the context of studying and testing matches/mismatches

Question 3

SIMILARITY:
Loftus and Grant both used IMD

Answer 3

This means that each P’s only took part in 1 condition in the study

Loftus: 9 P’s in the first experiment received each one of the 5 verbs in the critical question. 50 P’s received the verb ‘smashed’, 50 P’s the word ‘hit’ and 50 did not received the critical question at all in the 2nd experiment.
Grant: Each of the 39 P’s will be assigned only one of the 4 conditions of studying and testing e.g. Noisy noisy

Question 4

DIFFERENCES:
Loftus’ study collected both qualitative and quantitative data whereas Grant’s study collected only quantitative data

Answer 4

This means in Loftus’ study, the IV were measured both through quantitative (numerical) and qualitative means

Loftus: Reported the mean speed estimate in the verb condition ‘Smashed’ was 40.8 mph (Quantitative) . Details were collected from P’s account of the accident (Qualitative)
Grant: Recorded the DV quantitatively e.g. Score on the 16 MCQs about the psychoimmunology article

Question 5

DIFFERENCES:
Loftus’ study had 1 IV whereas Grant’s study had 2

Answer 5

Loftus’ study was more reductionist in its approach to understand recall and recognition.

Loftus: Only measured the effect verb strength had on memory
Grant: Measured both the effects of encoding and retrieval background and whether those 2 contexts match. Looked at multiple factors which may affect memory tracing. => more holistic