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level: Loftus and Palmer (C)

Questions and Answers List

level questions: Loftus and Palmer (C)

QuestionAnswer
+ Background to the study- CARMICHAEL - the effect of language on recall Students were shown the images in the middle Group one and group 2 were given different sets of descriptions for the same pictures The diagram above shows how they drew their recalled images slightly differently in a way that indicated that their recall had been influenced by the words that had accompanied the pictures
Aim- To see if language used in eyewitness testimony can alter memory
Background of the study- They conducted many studies investigating ways in which memory can be distorted
Theories- The schema theory - Reconstructive memory
Schema theory meaning- Memory is influenced by what an individual already knows - Past experience is used to deal with a new experience, fundamental feature of the way the human mind works
Research method- Lab experiments - Independent measures design
Experiment 1 IV- The wording of a critical question hidden in a questionnaire ( hit / smashed / collided / contacted / bumped)
Experiment 1 DV- The estimated speed given by the participant
Experiment 2 IV- The wording of a critical question hidden in a questionnaire: Worded smashed, hit or no word? - One week later, ppt's asked to complete another questionnaire - It asked: “Did you see any broken glass?”
Experiment 2 DV- Whether the answer to this question was yes or no
Sample (Experiment 1)- 45 students - 5 groups, 9 in each
Sample (Experiment 2)- 150 students - 3 groups, 50 in each
Procedure of experiment 1- Ppt's shown same 7 film clips of traffic accidents - Given questionnaire, asked about accident - Wording critical question hidden in questionnaire different in each group
Procedure of experiment 2- Ppt's shown 1 min film, had 4 second car crash - Given questionnaire, asked about accident - Critical question about speed - Group 1 = 'smashed' - Group 2 = 'hit' - Group 3, no word - One week later ppt's asked to complete another questionnaire had another critical question - 'did you see any broken glass yes or no?
Experiment 1 findingsSpeed estimates: - Smashed - 40.5 - Hit - 34 - Collided - 39.3 - Bumped - 38.1 - Contacted - 31.8
Experiment 2 findings (response yes)- Smashed - 16 - Hit - 7 - Control - 6
Experiment 2 findings (response no)- Smashed - 34 - Hit - 43 - Control - 44 - Majority claimed that hadn't seen broken glass
Conclusions of the study- Leading questions has an effect - People are not good at judging vehicle speed - Misleading post event information can distort an individuals memory
Research methods- Controlled laboratory experiment, had theory, control, evidence + replication - Lacks ecological validity, artificial setting
Data- Quantitative
Quantitive data- Estimated speed of cars in mph - No. of people that said they saw glass - Can easily compare
Ethical issues- Some deception but participants knew it was a test of memory
Validity- Highly controlled laboratory experiment, high design validity - Standardised: questions, clips, task - Aware they are in study, demand characteristics
Ecological validity- Low ecological validity, controlled artificial setting - In real car crash individuals would not be consciously trying to remember what they have seen - Under more stress, the experiment had no emotional connection with the event
Reliability- High internal reliability, standardised, replicated, test-retest reliability - Reliable as consistent results found that leading questions can distort memory
Bias- All uni students, lacks generalisability - Narrow age group, upper class + higher education - You need high cognitive ability to gain entry in to university - Not all the sample may have been able to drive
Ethnocentric- You need high cognitive ability to gain entry in to university - Tend to come from upper + middle social classes
Not ethnocentric- Cognitive processes such as reconstructive memory is the same in all cultures
Usefulness of research- Showed that it is possible to distort eye witness testimonies - This has large repercussions with police
Strengths of the study- High internal validity - SVs are controlled , equal distance , volume of clips - No order effects - independent design, Ps only answered one critical question in both studies
Psychology as a science- Controlled lab experiment, theory, control, evidence and replication
Link to area/perspective- Cognitive area, cognitive process of memory - Reconstructive nature of memory, by seeing if language in eyewitness testimony alters memory
Link to key theme- Memory - Reconstructive nature of memory, by seeing if language in eyewitness testimony alters memory