(Unit 1) Loftus and Palmer (1974)

Question 1

Loftus and Palmer (1974) Aims

Answer 1

To investigate the ways in which memory can be influenced by post-event information.

Question 2

Loftus and Palmer (1974) Design

Answer 2

Two laboratory experiments. Both experiments used an independent measures design, with the participant’s only taking part in a single condition.

Question 3

Loftus and Palmer (1974) Experiment

Answer 3

Forty-five American students from the University of Washington formed an opportunity sample.

7 films of traffic accidents, ranging in duration from 5 to 30 seconds, were presented in a random order to each group.

They were then asked specific questions, including the question “About how fast were the cars going when they (smashed / collided / bumped / hit / contacted) each other?”

Question 4

Loftus and Palmer (1974) Findings

Answer 4

The estimated speed was affected by the verb used. The verb implied information about the speed, which systematically affected the participants’ memory of the accident.

The participants in the “smashed” condition reported the highest speed estimate (40.8 mph), followed by “collided” (39.3 mph), “bumped” (38.1 mph), “hit” (34 mph), and “contacted” (31.8 mph) in descending order.

Question 5

Independent Measures Design

Answer 5

An experimental design where different participants are used in each condition of the independent variable. This means that each condition of the experiment includes a different group of participants.