Eyewitness Testimony: Misleading Information

Question 1

Who did research into leading questions?

Answer 1

Loftus and Palmer

Question 2

What were Loftus and Palmers findings?

Answer 2

mean estimated speed for smashed was 40.5 mph. mean estimated speed for smashed was 31.5 mph.

Question 3

Describe Loftus and Palmers investigation

Answer 3

participants watched clips of cars and had to estimate the different car speeds. the researcher used different leading verbs eg. smashed or contacted.

Question 4

Describe what is meant by response bias (in terms of leading questions effecting EWT)

Answer 4

suggests wording of question has no real effect on the memory but influences how they answer.

Question 5

Describe what is meant by substitution explanation (in terms of leading questions effecting EWT)

Answer 5

suggests wording effects memory. participants who had the verb smashed were more likely to report seeing broken glass. ( there was none)

Question 6

Who investigated post event discussion

Answer 6

Gabbert et al.

Question 7

Describe Gabbert et al research

Answer 7

Participants watched a video of a crime filmed from different POVs. The participants then discussed what they saw. these memories are then contaminated.

Question 8

What were Gabbert et al findings?

Answer 8

71% participants mistakenly recalled aspects of event picked up in discussion.

no discussion participants made 0% mistakes.

Eyewitnesses go along with others to win social approval.

Question 9

Describe the supporting evidence for misleading information. (AO3)

Answer 9

Loftus believed that leading questions can have such a distorting effect on memory. Police officers need to be careful how questions are worded.

can help prevent miscarriages of justice in future.

Question 10

Describe one limitation of misleading information.(AO3)

Answer 10

Limitation of loftus and palmer–>

watching film clips of car accidents is different from experiencing a real life crash, removes anxiety. therefore tells us little about how leading questions effect EWT.

Question 11

Describe individual differences within misleading information.(AO3)

Answer 11

older people may be less accurate than younger people when giving EW reports. all age groups more accurate when identifying people of their own age (own age bias)