Memory Flashcards
What is misleading information
supplying information that may alter a memory.
What are leading questions
a question that prompts or encourages the answer wanted
Leading questions study 1 aim
Loftus and Palmer (1974)
Participants watched a car crash video and were asked about the speed using different verbs. Stronger verbs = faster mph
Smashed=40.8mph
Collided=39.3
Bumped=38.1
Hit=34
Contacted=31.8
Leading questions study 2 aim
Loftus and Palmer (1974)
Tests if participants alter their answer when the wording of the question changes due to response bias or altering their memory reconstruction (unanswered from study 1)
Loftus and Palmer procedure + findings 1
Participants watched a car crash video and were asked about the speed using different verbs. Stronger verbs = faster mph
Smashed=40.8mph
Collided=39.3
Bumped=38.1
Hit=34
Contacted=31.8
Loftus and Palmer procedure + findings 2
150 students were shown a video of a car driving which crashed. They asked the same question but with a different verb. 50 people asked How fast where the cars going when they ‘hit’ 50 people had ‘smashed’ then the control group where not asked. 1 week later they where asked more questions those who heard “smashed” not only estimated a higher speed but were also more likely to remember seeing broken glass when there was none.
What is post event discussion
a misleading conversation after an incident or being questioned multiple times
What is memory contamination
recollections of events that didn’t happen or happened differently to how the person remembers.
Possible cause of false memories: What is the Conformity effect
eyewitness recalls changes only because they go along with the accounts of the co-witnesses. To win social approval or genuinely believe that the co-witnesses are right.
Possible cause of false memories
What is Source monitoring
distortion of memories occurs when alternative accounts are heard, which creates confusion. The eyewitness can recall information about the event (accurate and inaccurate) but can’t recall where it came from.
Research example for post event discussion
Gabbert et al. (2003) 60 students and 60 older adults. Watched a video of a girl stealing money from a wallet. Either told individually (control) or in pairs (co witness group). Participants in the co-witness group where shown different perspectives of the same crime and only one person actually witnessed the girl stealing. Co witness group discussed crime. All completed an event. 71% of the co-witness group recalled information they had not actually seen and 60% said the girl was guilty even though they didn’t see her commit the crime
What is the weapon focus effect
high anxiety situations may disrupt the witness from remembering the details of the crime as all their attention was on the weapon
Positive effect of anxiety
Christian and Hubinette (1986) interviewed witnesses of a crime in Sweden, including bystanders and those directly involved. Those directly involved like the bank clerk had a higher EWT accuracy.
Who supports the idea anxiety decreases the accuracy of EWT accuracy.
Johnson and Scott (1976)
Asked the participants to wait in the reception area. Participants exposed to one of two conditions:
1-‘No weapon’ Participants overheard a heated exchange about an equipment failure. Individual left the lab with a pen covered in grease.
2-‘Weapon’ Participants overheard a heated exchange and the sound of broken glass. Individual runs out holding a bloody letter opener.
Results of the Johnson and scott study
Witness of the pen man correctly identified the target 49% of the time. Witness of knife man only 33% of the time.
Mental reinstatement of original context
Internal and external cues present at the time of the crime are recalled. ‘How were you feeling?’
Based on the coding specificity principle, recalling internal and external factors will help enable recall.
