Loftus and Palmer 1974- Theory of reconstructive memory and eyewitness testimony- experiment 1

Aim

to understand how memories can be altered by irrelevant external influences.

participants

45 students

method

45 students were split into 5 groups and shown film recordings of traffic accidents.Each participants shown 7 recordings.
each participant saw the films in different order, after each film they were asked to fill out a questionnaire.
while most questions were filler there was one important one.
‘about how fast were the cars when they hit each other’
the word hit was replaced with smashed, collided bumped or contacted in other groups.

Results

the mean speed estimate was highest for smashed and the lowest for contacted
smashed had a mean speed estimate of 40.5, collided-39.3, bumbed-38.1, hit-34.0 and contacted-31.8

tThe results show that the word used to describe the car crash impacted how people estimated the speed of the car.

Results- response bias

Loftus and palmer suggest two possible interpretations of the results
response bias: the participants may be uncertain whether to say 30mph or 40mph but higher intensity words bias them into choosing the higher speeds.

Results- Memory change

the participants memory changes based on the word. For example a high intensity word such as ‘smashed’ actually alters the participants memory into thinking the experiment was more severe than it was

Research method- experiment

One research method used to study the reliability of cognitive processes is the true experiment. Research methods play a crucial role in psychology, they ensure the quality of a study and maintain it’s reliability and validity. It makes sure that the conclusion and results are accurate and reliable. The aim and hypothesis of the study must align with the research method, to uphold a studies quality. Furthermore the researchrch methd helps effectively operationalize the hypothesis and subjects involved. Research methods include  surveys and questionnaires, in which participants self report findings; observational studies, where behaviour is not manipulated; and experiments, in which variables are manipulated to establish causation.

Experiments involve and independent and dependent variable. The effect of the independent variable is seen on the dependent variable, the independent variable is manipulated to observe this affect. True experiments also involve control variables which ‘control’ confounding variables so that the effect on the dependent variable can be attributed to the independent variable effectively establishing a cause and effect relationship.

Ethics

Furthermore, participants in Loftus and Palmer's study did not provide fully informed consent, as they were not made aware of the true purpose of the research and potential risks involved. The absence of this vital information compromises the ethical legitimacy of their consent


FINISH THIS

Another experiment was conducted

experiment 2 to determine whether it was response bias or the memory was actually was changed, if the memory was actually changed participants are likely to remember additional details that may not have happened but fit well into the constructed memory.

Results and conclusion

loftus and palmer concluded that a memory change actually did occur and that estimated speeds were not due to response bias. Loftus and palmer also suggested that there are 2 sets of information for complex memory information obtained during an event and external post even information, and that these sets of information can integrate over time and it would not be possible to tell them apart. This can also be explained by schema theory in that high intensity words are assosciated with pre-stored schema assosciated with severe accidents and memory is reconstructed.

evaluation

experiment cause and effect

The experimental method allowd confounding materials to be controlled so that the effect of the IV was genuinekly measuresd so loftus and palmer could rightfully claim cysation between the IV (intensity of the critical word) and the DV (estimation of speed)