EWT: misleading q's

• Loftus and Palmer: experiment 1: 45 PPs shown films of car accident

  and asked a specific question—verb manipulated: How fast were the cars going when they

  X each other?”

  -'smashed' = 40.5mph

  -'contacted' = 32mph

  This shows accuracy of EWT is affected by leading questions
• Loftus and Palmer experiment 2: 150 students “Did you see any broken glass” (there was none).

  32% questioned with verb 'smashed' said yes compared to 14% of participants questioned with the verb 'hit'. Shows questions can distort memories.
• LIMITATION= LOW ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY - eyewitnesses to real accidents have a stronger, emotional connection—may not be susceptible to leading questions in the same way.
• LIMITATION= LOW POPULATION VALIDITY- others may be more accurate in their judgement and less susceptible to leading questions
• STRENGTH= application of their findings to criminal justice system

  • post event discussion: Gabbert et al: 71% of PPs who discussed an event before recall mistakenly recalled information and 60% said the girl was guilty despite not seeing her.
• STRENGTH= High population validity: university students and older adults—little difference found
• LIMITATION = Further research required: was it post event discussion or conformity that explains findings?
• STRENGTH = Real world application: keep eyewitnesses apart.