Loftus And Palmer Flashcards
Define schema theory.
How our previous experience / knowledge can distort our memory of an event.
Define reconstructive memory.
The way in which our biases and prejudices can unconsciously lead us to have memories of events that are distortions of what actually happened.
Define leading questions.
A question which, by its form or content, suggests what answer is desired.
Define memory. CHECK
The ability to store and recall information.
What is the background to Loftus and Palmer’s study?
- Eyewitness testimony is used a lot in court cases as evidence and if often trusted. However, memory research has shown that memory is often inaccurate and influenced by our pre-existing knowledge (schemas) leading to distorted memory for events. Loftus wanted to understand how an eyewitness’ memory can be influenced in order to ensure that information used in court is accurate.
What was the aim of Loftus and Palmer’s study?
To investigate the effect of leading questions on memory.
What was the research method used in Loftus and Palmer’s study? (It was the same for both experiments.)
Lab experiment as the IV was manipulated by the researcher and the study took place in a controlled setting.
What was the experimental design? used in Loftus and Palmer’s study? (It was the same for both experiments.)
Independent measures design? CHECK
Sampling method? CHECK
What was the sample in experiment 1 of Loftus and Palmer’s study?
- 45 participants split into 5 groups of 9
- Washington, USA
- Students
What’s was the independent variable in experiment 1 in Loftus and Palmer’s study?
The verb used in the critical question:
- Hit
- Collided
- Smashed
- Contacted
- Bumped
What’s was the dependent variable in experiment 1 in Loftus and Palmer’s study? check
The estimated speed of the car in the videos OR The mean speed estimate in miles per hour per condition.
What was the procedure in experiment 1 in Loftus and Palmer’s study?
- Students were shown 7 film clips from Evergreen Safety Council of the Seattle Police Department. The staged clips lasted between 5 and 30 seconds. 4 out of 7 of the clips contained staged crashes of which the speed when they crashed was known. The clips were shown in a different order for each participant.
- After each clip they were given a questionarre or two parts
- Firstly they were asked to give an account of the accident.
- Then they would answer questions on the accident.
What were the results of experiment 1 in Loftus and Palmer’s study?
- Smashed, 40.8mph
- Collide, 39.3mph
- Bumped, 38.1mph
- Hit, 34.0mph
- Contacted, 31.8mph
What were the conclusions made from experiment 1 in Loftus and Palmer’s study?
- People are not good at estimating the speed of cars.
- The form of a question does change the answer given by a witness
What explanations of the results were offered for experiment 1 in Loftus and Palmer’s study?
- Response bias:
- The word in the critical question biases participants to give a different speed estimate. - Memory change:
- The word in the critical question changed the memory the participant had about how fast the car was going.
Smoking method CHECK
What was the sample in experiment 2 of Loftus and Palmer’s study?
- 150 participants split into 3 groups of 50.
- Washington, USA
- Students
What was the independent variable in experiment 2 in Loftus and Palmer’s study?
The verb condition for the leading question: hit, smashed, control (not asked about speed).
What was the dependent variable in experiment 2 in Loftus and Palmer’s study? check
The number of participants who said they remembered seeing broken glass in each condition. ** OR. ** Whether the participant (incorrectly) remembers seeing broken glass.
What was the procedure in experiment 2 in Loftus and Palmer’s study?
- Participants watched a clip lasting 1 minute of a multiple car crash (the crash lasted four seconds of the clip). They then answered the first questionaire which included the critical question which was changed for each group:
- About what speed were the cars going when they hit each other?
- About what speed were the cars going when they smashed into each other?
- Control condition: not asked about speed. - A week later participants returned to answer 10 more questions including the critical ‘Did you see any broken glass?’
What were the results of experiment 2 in Loftus and Palmer’s study?
The different verb conditions and the number of participants which remembered seeing broken glass:
- Smashed, 16 out of 50
- Hit, 7 out of 50
- Control, 6 out of 50
What were the conclusions made from experiment 2 in Loftus and Palmer’s study?
The form of question does change the witnesses memory.
What explanations of results were offered for experiment 2 in Loftus and Palmer’s study?
- Own perception:
- Your own perception of the event is what you think happened (based on your own memory).
External information:
- External information is content given after the event. This can be though questioning from police, media coverage etc…
