Loftus and Palmer

Loftus and Palmer

1. Aim

   • The Aim of the study was to see the effect of leading questions of memory of an event

2. Sample

   • 45 particpants

3. Method Experiment 1

   • 45 participants were shown 7 clips of traffic accidents. The segments were between 5 and 30 seconds long
   • After viewing each clip, the students were given a questionaire that asked them to give an account of the accident that they had just seen and then were asked some questions
   • One of these questions was labelled a critical question. Students were then divided into 5 groups of 9 participants and each group was asked a different question
     • 1.Smashed 2.collided 3. bumped 4.hit 5. Contacted

4. Findings

   • Smashed: 40.8 mph Collided: 39.3 mph Bumped 38.1 mph Hit: 34 mph Contacted 31.8 mph
     • These results were analysed statistically (to let you know how likely your results are to be due to chance
     • actual speed of the car - Average estimate of speed 20-37.7 30-36.2, 40- 39.7, 40-39.7, 40- 26.1

5. Method- Experiment 2

   • This experiment was very simular to the first experiment
     • They watched a one minute clip that contained a 4-second scene of a multiple car accident
       • They were then split into three groups. Group 1 hit. Group 2 Smashed. Group 3 not asked
       • A week later, they were asked if they saw any glass

6. Sample

   • 150 studenfts

7. Findings

   • verb used in original question- Pps answering yes to broken glass- pps answering no to broken glass
     • Smashed-16-34 Hit 7 - 43 Control 6- 44

8. Conclusion

   • L+P suggested that there are two types of information which make up memory of a complex event
     • The information you get perceiving an event
     • The information you get after an event
   • Questions can actually change peoples memories