Loftus and Palmer (1974): classic study

Question 1

Aim experiment 1

Answer 1

to investigate language effects on memory

if leading Q. affect memory recall

Question 2

Method procedure: experiment 1
what is the sample
the design?

Answer 2

opportunity sample

design = independent measures

Question 3

Method procedure: experiment 1

name the 5 conditions, IV, DV

Answer 3

conditions: smashed, collided, bumped, hit, contacted

IV: the wording of the Q.

DV: the speed of the car given in the estimated mean

Question 4

Method procedure: experiment 1

describe the sample

Answer 4

45 American uni students + 150 uni students

Question 5

Method procedure: experiment 1

describe the details of the film footage used in the 1st experiment

Answer 5

• segments from longer drivers education from evergreen safety council and Seattle police department
• length ranged 5-30 seconds
• 4/7 staged
• collisions took place at 20/30/40 mph (2 at 40 mph)

Question 6

Method procedure: experiment 1

describe the details of the task they had to do (including critical question)

Answer 6

• after the film a questionnaire was received “give an account of the accident you have just seen” –> answer a series of specific Q. about accident
• critical Q. interrogated subjects about the speed of the cars in the collision
• 9 was asked “About how fast were the cars going when they hit each other”
• other 36 had some Q. but replaced “hit” with “smashed, collided, bumped, contacted”

Question 7

Method procedure: experiment 1

what was the ordering of the films for each participant

Answer 7

1 group had normal ordering from hit contacted bumped collided smashed and the other was counterbalanced, so from descending to ascending –> ascending to descending

Question 8

Method procedure: experiment 1

how was recalled measured

Answer 8

• the speed they gave + mean was found out for each different verb
• the mean speed estimate was compared to the actual mean

Question 9

experiment 1
results for estimate speed compared to real speed

results of verbs and mean estimate speed

what do results suggest?

Answer 9

film 1: speed = 20mph: estimate 37.7 mph
film 2: speed = 30mph: estimate 36.2 mph
film 3: speed = 40mph: estimate 39.7 mph
film 4: speed = 40mph: estimate 36.1 mph

smashed = 40.5
collided =39.3
bumped = 38.1
hit = 34
contacted = 31.8

people are shit at judging how fast a vehicle is actually travelling

Question 10

Conc for experiment 1?

what does Loftus suggest why leading question affect memory?

Answer 10

the wording of the question did affect the estimated speed, with the mores Revere sounding verbs producing higher estimates. the actual speed of the vehicle accounted for little of the variance in estimates.

distortion: the verbal label attached to the event by the Q. could have led to the P’s cognitively changing their memory (prompts that the cars smashed lead to the P’s re-evaluating their memories)

response bias (type of demand characteristics): P's is not sure of the exact speed and therefore adjusts their estimate to fit in with the expectations of the questioner.
(P's were told the cars smashed so the questioner must think the cars were going fast therefore the estimate must be a high speed)

Question 11

Aim for experiment 2

Answer 11

to see if results due to memory distortion or demand characteristics

Question 12

Method procedure: experiment 2

lab/field experiment

design?

Describe the sample

Answer 12

lab experiment

independent measures

150 P’s also students –> divided into 3 groups = 50 each

Question 13

Method procedure: experiment 2

procedure

Answer 13

1. watched a film about multiples car accidents followed by a questionnaire: describe the accident in own words + answer questions about the accident
2. critical Q.: about speed of the vehicles, splitting the 150 P’s into 3 groups with different Q. each
   - how fast was the cars was going when they smashed into each other
   - same as above but “smashed” replaced with “hit”
   - not questioned about the vehicles speed
3. 1 week later: didn’t view the films + answered questions about the accident
4. critical Q: did you see any broken glass? (no broken glass)
   - options are “yes” or “no”
   - imbedded in a list of Q totalling 10
   - appeared randomly in the list

Question 14

results of experiment 2

broken glass

were the results significant and why

Answer 14

response yes -> smashed 16 -> hit 7-> control 6

response no ->smashed 34 -> hit 43 -> control 44

yes at it demonstrates that simply changing the wording of the Q. can easily influence the P’s answer

Question 15

Conc for experiment 2

Answer 15

• the wording of the Q. affected the P’s memory of the event
• those who heard the verb “smashed” were more than twice as likely to recall seeing broken glass
• when recollecting a visual image we add a verbal label with the to-be-removed-form
• info can be gleaned over during the perception of original text + external info supplied after the fact –> may integrate = unbeknownst where specific detail is recalled –> makes the memory more severe than It actually was