leading questions

• What is a leading question?

  A question suggesting a desired answer
• How does a leading question differ from an open question?

  A leading question suggests a specific answer
• Who conducted the study on leading questions?

  Loftus and Palmer
• What was the aim of Loftus and Palmer's study?

  To investigate leading questions' effect on EWT
• What was the procedure of Loftus and Palmer's study?

  • Laboratory experiment with independent groups design
  • 45 American students watched seven car accident films
  • Participants described the accident and answered specific questions
  • Critical question: 'About how fast were the cars going when they _____ each other?'
• How many films were shown to participants in the study?

  Seven films
• What was the critical question asked to participants?

  About how fast were the cars going when they _____ each other?
• How many groups were participants divided into for the critical question?

  Five groups
• What was the independent variable (IV) in the study?

  Wording of the question
• What was the dependent variable (DV) in the study?

  Speed reported by participants in MPH
• What were the five verbs used in the critical question?

  • Hit
  • Smashed
  • Collided
  • Bumped
  • Contacted
• What were the mean speed estimates based on the verbs used?

  • Smashed: 40.8 MPH
  • Collided: 39.3 MPH
  • Bumped: 38.1 MPH
  • Hit: 34.0 MPH
  • Contacted: 31.8 MPH
• What conclusion can be drawn about leading questions from the study?

  They can distort participants' memory of events
• What implication does the study have for police interviews?

  Questions used can affect eyewitness accuracy
• What is a potential issue with the original memory according to the study's conclusions?

  It may have been reconstructed or replaced
• What does the study suggest about the effect of language on eyewitness testimony?

  Language can distort eyewitness accounts