Reliability of cognitive processing Flashcards
What is memory and does it have limitations?
Memory is a cognitive process used to encode, store, and retrieve information.
Memory limitations 2p
limitations when regarding to reliability
example the retrieval of information from LTM may depend if you are using a particular schema
Another dimension is the tendency of memory to be distorted.
Theory for reliability of cognive processing and eyewitness testimony
That memory, rather than being a passive process, is an active process that involves the reconstruction of information.
Study for Reliability of CP
Loftus and Palmer (1974)
Aim of Loftus and Palmer (1974)
see the extent to which memory can be altered by irrelevant external influemes
consisted on two parts experiment 1 and experiment 2 to resolve the competing hypotheis
Experiment 1 sample
25 students split into 5 groups
Method
Shown film recodings or traffic accidents and after the firl they were given questionare with questions of the traffic accident
how were the questions of the questionarre
Most were distractors and ONE critical question
One group was asked: how fast were the cars going when they hit each other,
other groups the word hit was changed for smashed, collided, bumped or contacted.
Results two interpretations
- Could have been a response bias if a verb of higher intensity made the subject respond with a higher mph,
- If the question caused a change in the subjects memory representation, it altered the memory and made the accident more severe than it was.
Why was experiment 2 carried?
To choose between the two competing explanations
It was to see if memory actually undergoes a change, the subject should be more likely to remember other details (that did not occur but fit well into the newly constructed memory).
Intro
- what is memory
- limitations of memory
- Theory of Reconstrivive memory and eye witness testimony and what it proposes
Study
- Loftus aand Palmer (1974)
- 2 experiments
- experiment 1 , 2 conclusions
- experiment 2
Conclusion
