Loftus and Palmer

Research method

Lab experiment

Design

Independent measures

Sampling technique

Unknown

Expt 1 sample

45 students

Expt 2 sample

150 students

Expt 1 IV conditions

Smashed, hit, collided, bumped, contacted

Expt 1 dependent variable

Speed estimate

Expt 2 IV conditions

Smashed, hit & control group

Expt 1 smashed result

40.5 mph

Expt 1 contacted result

31.8 mph

Expt 1 conclusion

Either memory distortion OR response bias

Response bias

Participants answers have been influenced by leading questions but not memory

Expt 2 dependent variable

Yes/no for seeing broken glass

Expt 2 Smashed result

16 saw broken glass

Expt 2 Hit result

7 saw broken glass

Expt 2 Control group result

6 saw broken glass

Expt 2 conclusion

Leading questions distort memory

Overall conclusion

Event information and post-event information are combined when we RECONSTRUCT eyewitness memories

How many films did they watch in Expt 1

7

How many films did they watch in Expt 2

1

Critical question

"About how fast was the car going when it SMASHED into the other car?"

Distractor questions

General questions about the crash film

Order of the films

Different for each group