Loftus and Palmer Ex2

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

To provide additional insights into the origin of the differential speed estimates whilst also seeing

Question 2

Sample

Answer 2

150 participants
Students
Split into 3 groups of 50.

Question 3

Procedure

Answer 3

• Participants watched a film that lasted for one minute with the accident happening for 4 seconds.
• Subjects received a questionnaire that asked them to describe the accident and then to answer a series of questions including the critical question about speed.
• 50 subjects were asked “smashed”, 50 were asked “hit” and 50 weren’t asked about speed.
• A week later, subjects returned without rewatching and answered the same questionnaire. There was another critical question about broken glass, even though there was none.

Question 4

Results

Answer 4

Participants were more likely to say that they saw glass at the scene when the critical question used the verb “smashed”. 16 compared to 7 in “hit” and 6 in the control.

Question 5

Conclusions

Answer 5

Demonstrated that memory of an event was changed via leading questions rather than just a response bias.