Factors affect EWT: Misleading information

Question 1

Who conducted a study into the effects of leading questions on EWT?

Answer 1

Elizabeth Loftus and John Palmer (1974).

Question 2

In Loftus and Palmer’s 1st study (1974), what was the IV and how many conditions of the IV were there?

Answer 2

The IV was the ‘critical’ verb used, there were 5 different conditions of the IV.

Question 3

Which research method was used in Loftus and Palmer’s 1st study (1974)?

Answer 3

A lab experiment.

Question 4

In Loftus and Palmer’s 1st study (1974) which IV condition caused the highest speed estimate?

Answer 4

Smashed.

Question 5

What is EWT?

Answer 5

The ability of people to remember the details of events which they have observed.

Question 6

What is a leading question?

Answer 6

A question which is phrased in a way to suggest a certain answer or view is correct.

Question 7

In Loftus and Palmer’s 1st study (1974) which IV condition caused the lowest speed estimate?

Answer 7

Contacted.

Question 8

Which research design was used in Loftus and Palmer’s 1st study (1974)?

Answer 8

Independent groups design.

Question 9

Name all of the IV conditions used in Loftus and Palmer’s 1st study (1974):

Answer 9

Smashed, Collided, Bumped, Hit and Contacted.

Question 10

Who created the study: Reconstruction of automobile destruction?

Answer 10

Elizabeth Loftus and John Palmer (1974).

Question 11

In Loftus and Palmer’s 1st study (1974), what was the DV and how was it measured?

Answer 11

The estimated speed of the car before collision, the participants gave it as an estimate in miles per hour (mph).

Question 12

What was the conclusion to Loftus and Palmer’s 1st study (1974)?

Answer 12

The ‘critical’ verb used changed the participants estimate of car speed.

Question 13

What was the largest effect that was seen on the DV when changing the ‘critical’ verb.

Answer 13

The difference between ‘smashed’ and ‘contacted’ was 9 mph.

Question 14

What did Loftus and Palmer conclude about the effect of leading questions on EWT?

Answer 14

They concluded that leading questions can have a massive effect on the EWT, participants recalled the speed of a car vary differently when once word was altered in the question.

Question 15

Describe Loftus and Palmer’s study (1974):

Answer 15

• Participants were all shown the same video of a car crashing, they were then asked a question about how fast the cars where going when they _____ each other,
• There was 5 conditions for the verb being used, the estimated speed was changed greatly when the critical verb changed.

Question 16

In Loftus and Palmer’s 2nd study (1974), what was the IV?

Answer 16

The ‘critical’ verb used.

Question 17

In Loftus and Palmer’s 2nd study (1974), what was the DV?

Answer 17

Whether they claimed to see broken glass.

Question 18

What were the findings of In Loftus and Palmer’s 2nd study (1974)?

Answer 18

The participants who heard ‘smashed’ were more likely to report seeing broken glass than those who heard ‘hit’.

Question 19

What is post-event discussion?

Answer 19

When co-witnesses to a crime discuss it with each other, this may cause their eyewitness testimonies to become contaminated.

Question 20

How may testimonies become contaminated through post-event discussion?

Answer 20

Because they combine (mis)information from the other witnesses with their own memories.

Question 21

Who demonstrated the effects of post-event discussion in their study?

Answer 21

Fiona Gabbert et al. (2003).

Question 22

Describe the study of Gabbert et al. (2003):

Answer 22

• Ptps watched a video of the same crime, but filmed from different viewpoints,
• This meant that only certain witnesses could see some details (title of the book being carried etc.),
• Participants then discussed what they had seen before recalling it individually,
• 71% of participants recalled aspects of the crime they could not have seen in their pov.
• Control group (no discussions) was 0% inaccuracy.

Question 23

What was the research design used by Gabbert et al. (2003)?

Answer 23

Matched pairs.

Question 24

What is memory conformity?

Answer 24

Gabbert et al. (2003) concluded that witnesses often go along with each other, either to win social approval or because they believe other witnesses are right and they are wrong.

Question 25

AO3 - Real-life applications.

Answer 25

One strength is that there are many real-life applications as false testimonies can be very serious. Loftus’ research into leading questions has highlighted the importance of how police officers phrase their questions when interviewing eyewitnesses, therefore, EWT research has an important role in improving the legal system.

Question 26

What did Gabbert et al. (2003) conclude from their study?

Answer 26

They concluded that witnesses often go along with each other, either to win social approval or because they believe other witnesses are right and they are wrong.
They called this phenomenon memory conformity.

Question 27

AO3 - Artificial tasks.

Answer 27

The film clips used in Loftus and Palmer’s study present a very different experience than watching an accident in real-life as there is no element of strong emotion to taint memory. This is a limitation as it decreases the ecological validity of the studies.

Question 28

AO3 - Individual differences.

Answer 28

There is lots of evidence to show that old people are much less accurate than younger people in giving eyewitness testimonies. This is a limitation as research studies often use younger people meaning that some age groups appear less accurate but in fact this is not true.

Question 29

What were the findings of Gabbert et al. (2003)?

Answer 29

They found 71% of participants recalled details from the crime that they could not have seen in their pov, the control group (with no discussion) identified no details they could not have seen.

Question 30

AO3 - Demand characteristics.

Answer 30

Zaragosa and McCloskey (1989) argue that many answers given in the lab are due to demand characteristics. In Gabbert’s experiment the ptps are likely to confer and trust the other ptps because they are trying to recall everything to the researcher.

Question 31

AO3 - Consequences of EWT.

Answer 31

Foster et al. (1994) points out that what you remember as an eyewitness can have important real life consequences, which is not the same in research studies.

Question 32

Why is it so important that EWT are factually correct?

Answer 32

Because juries use EWT when making legal decisions that can have massive implications.

Question 33

Comment on the reliability of EWT:

Answer 33

They are not very reliable; in 75% of cases where individuals were found wrongly convicted by DNA evidence, the original EWT was inaccurate.

Question 34

How many participants were used in each of Loftus and Palmer’s studies? (1974)

Answer 34

Experiment 1 = 45,

Experiment 2 = 150.