Leading Questions

• Loftus & Palmer (1974) conducted their 1st experiment with 45 American students to investigate the effect of leading questions on the accuracy of eyewitness testimony.
• In the 1st study by Loftus & Palmer participants watched a video of a car crash and were asked about the speed of the cars using different verbs.
• Loftus & Palmer concluded that estimated speed was affected by the verb used, suggesting leading questions affect memory.
• Loftus & Palmer did a 2nd experiment with 150 American students, who were asked about the speed of the cars using different verbs and then asked a critical question about seeing broken glass.
• In Loftus & Palmer's 2nd study students who were questioned using the verb "smashed" were more likely to report seeing broken glass, even though there was no broken glass in the video.
• Loftus & Palmer's results demonstrate that leading questions can significantly affect the accuracy of eyewitness testimony and distort memory of the original event.
• The wording of questions can 'lead' people to give certain answers.
• Loftus & Palmer found that participants estimate of speed for the smashed condition (40.5mph) was greater than the others.
• The verb smashed makes participants feel the car is travelling faster than it was.
• There were five conditions in experiment 1; smashed, hit, bumped, contacted and collided.
• There were three conditions in the 2nd experiment; smashed, hit and the control group.
• Clifasefi et al (2013) used leading questions to implant a memory that never happened.
• Laney et al (2008) led participants to believe they liked asparagus as a child, when in fact they did not.
• Clifasefi et al (2013) managed to implant a false memory that alcohol had previously made participants sick.
• Misleading information like leading questions can distort peoples memory of events.
• In the 2nd study by Loftus & Palmer, participants in the smashed condition reported seeing more broken glass.