loftus & palmer 1974 ♡

• What was the methodology used in the study?

  An experiment conducted in a laboratory
• What design was used in both experiments?

  Independent measures design
• What was the independent variable in the experiments?

  The verb used
• What was the dependent variable in experiment 1?

  Estimate of speed
• What was the dependent variable in experiment 2?

  Whether participants saw broken glass
• How many students participated in experiment 1?

  45 students
• How many students participated in experiment 2?

  150 students
• What was the procedure followed in experiment 1?

  • Participants shown seven films of traffic accidents
  • Asked to give an account of the accident
  • Answered specific questions, including a critical speed estimate question
  • The verb used varied among groups
• How many films were shown in experiment 1?

  Seven films
• What was the critical question asked in experiment 1?

  About how fast the cars were going when they ______ each other?
• How many participants were in the 'smashed' condition in experiment 1?

  Nine participants
• What verbs were used to fill in the blank in experiment 1?

  Smashed, hit, collided, bumped, contacted
• What was recorded from the participants in experiment 1?

  Participants' speed estimates
• How long did the experiment last?

  About an hour and a half
• What was the procedure followed in experiment 2?

  • 150 participants shown a clip of a multiple car crash
  • Asked to describe the accident
  • Asked about the speed of the cars with different verbs
  • One week later, asked if they saw broken glass
• How long did the film last in experiment 2?

  Less than a minute
• What was the critical question asked one week later in experiment 2?

  Did you see any broken glass?
• What was the expected response regarding broken glass in the 'smashed' condition?

  Participants were expected to say 'yes' more often
• What was the mean speed estimate for 'smashed'?

  40.8 MPH
• What were the findings of experiment 1 regarding speed estimates?

  • 'Smashed' led to highest speed estimates
  • A single word can affect witness answers
• What was the mean speed estimate for 'hit'?

  34.0 MPH
• What were the conclusions drawn from experiment 2?

  • Leading questions can distort memory
  • Memory can be altered by question form
  • Accuracy in reporting details can be affected
• What did Loftus and Palmer conclude about the verb 'smashed'?

  It alters participants' memory representation
• What are the two possible interpretations for experiment 1?

  Response-bias factors and memory representation change
• How does the verb 'smashed' affect memory according to Loftus and Palmer?

  It creates a new memory of the accident
• What did Loftus and Palmer suggest about the actual speed of vehicles?

  • Actual speed had little effect on reporting
  • Different estimates could be due to response-bias factors
• What was the response of participants in the 'smashed' condition regarding broken glass?

  16 said 'yes'
• What was the response of participants in the 'hit' condition regarding broken glass?

  7 said 'yes'
• What was the response of participants in the control group regarding broken glass?

  6 said 'yes'
• What does the study suggest about leading questions?

  They can distort a witness's memory
• How do leading questions affect memory over time?

  They can affect memory one week later
• What is the significance of the findings from Loftus and Palmer's experiments?

  They highlight the impact of wording on memory