Loftus & Palmer - CLASSIC

Question 1

What was the main hypothesis of the study?

Answer 1

The language used in eyewitness testimony can alter memory

This hypothesis suggests that the way questions are phrased can influence a witness’s recollection of events.

Question 2

What was the aim of the study?

Answer 2

To show that leading questions could distort eyewitness testimony

Leading questions are those that suggest a particular answer or contain information that can influence the response.

Question 3

What type of experiment was conducted?

Answer 3

Lab experiment with independent measures design

Question 4

What was the sample size for Experiment 1?

Answer 4

45 students from University of Washington

Question 5

What was the sample size for Experiment 2?

Answer 5

150 students from University of Washington

Question 6

What type of sampling method was used for the participants?

Answer 6

Opportunity/convenience sampling

Question 7

What materials were used in Experiment 1?

Answer 7

7 film clips, questionnaire

Question 8

What was the main material used in Experiment 2?

Answer 8

1 minute film containing car crash

Question 9

Procedure for experiment 1?

Answer 9

45 Participants, 5 groups for 5 verbs.

Verbs:
Smashed
Collided
Bumped
Hit
Contacted

Watched 7 clips of car crash/road safety videos.

Critical question : ’How fast were the cars going when they ______ each other?’

Question 10

Procedure for experiment 2?

Answer 10

150 participants, 3 groups for 2 verbs and 1 control group

Verbs:
Hit
Smashed

Watched 1 minute video of a multiple car crash.

1 week later, participants were asked, ’Did you see any broken glass?’

Question 11

Results for experiment 1?

Answer 11

Mean speed estimates:

Smashed - 40.5mph
//
Contacted - 31.8mph

Question 12

Results for experiment 2?

Answer 12

Saw broken glass VS Did not see broke glass
Smashed = 16:34
Hit = 7:43
Control = 6:44

Question 13

IVs and DVs

Answer 13

IV for both:
- verb used

DV for 1:
- estimation of speed

DV for 2:
- glass or no glass

Question 14

Conclusions

Answer 14

Questioning techniques can distort memory.
Memory is susceptible to change and decay.
Both information during and after an event can distort memories and create false ones.

Question 15

What is a strength of lab experiments?

Answer 15

High internal validity

Lab experiments are designed to control extraneous variables, allowing for more accurate conclusions about cause and effect.

Question 16

What is a weakness of lab experiments?

Answer 16

Low ecological validity

Lab experiments often lack real-world applicability due to their artificial settings.

Question 17

Strengths of using independent measures design?

Answer 17

No order effects

Participants are only exposed to one condition, eliminating potential biases from their experience in multiple conditions.

Less time consuming

This design allows researchers to gather data more quickly as each participant contributes to only one condition.

Question 18

Weakness of independent measures?

Answer 18

Participant variables

Individual differences among participants that can affect results

These variables can introduce bias if not controlled, influencing the outcome of the study.

Question 19

What ethical considerations are mentioned in the context of the study?

Answer 19

Deception, confidentiality, harm, debrief, withdrawal, and consent

Question 20

What was a key issue regarding valid consent in the experiment?

Answer 20

Participants were not aware of the true aim of the experiment

Question 21

What potential psychological harm was highlighted in the study?

Answer 21

Car crashes could be traumatising

Question 22

What does high internal validity indicate in this study?

Answer 22

No external variables affected the results

Question 23

What is a noted limitation regarding external validity?

Answer 23

Lab setting is artificial; only staged clips were used instead of real crashes

Question 24

How is reliability assessed in this study?

Answer 24

The study is standardised; participants were asked the same questions and watched the same videos

Question 25

What is a concern regarding sampling bias in this study?

Answer 25

College students do not reflect older people who may have worse memory

Question 26

What ethnocentric issue is present in the study’s sample?

Answer 26

Only American students from the ** University of Washington** were included, making the results not generalisable