✨ Eye Witness Testimony✨

Leading Questions, Ronald Cotton, Loftus and Palmer, Long Term Memory, Short Term Memory, Multistore Model of Memory

Leading Questions

Questions that lead a person to think and respond in a specific manner, altering memory

Ronald Cotton

Previous offender falsely incarcerated when a victim wrongly chose him out of two lineups. This altered her recollection of the event to the point where she could not remember the actual offender, Bobby Poole.

Memory

The process of encoding, storing and retrieving information

Long Term Memory

The proccess of encoding, storing and retrieving information

Short Term Memory

Temporary information holding area, it can store 7±2

Multistore Model of Memory

Long term memory structure

Loftus and Palmer aim

To deduce whether leading questions play a role in altering or impacting memory in any manner

Loftus and Palmer method 1

5 groups each with 9 participants

Loftus and Palmer results 1

Smashed - 41mph; collided - 39mph; bumped - 38mph; hit - 34; contacted - 32

Loftus and Palmer method 2

A week after, they were asked if they had seen glass. 3 groups of 50. 1/3 asked hit, 1/3 asked smashed, 1/3 control

Loftus and Palmer results 2

A larger number of those who were asked smashed answered yes than those asked hit or those in the control

Loftus and Palmer conclusion

Questioning techniques can distort memory; our recollection of events is incredibly malleable and unreliable

Declarative memory

A part of long term memory to do with facts

Episodic memory

Part of declarative memory to do with experiences in ones life

Semantic memory

Part of declarative memory to do with facts and general knowledge

Procedural memory

A part of long term memory to do with muscle memory

Priming

Part of procedural memory; a set of things leading a person to think in a certain way

Skill learning

Part of procedural memory; muscle memory

Conditioning

Part of procedural memory; similar to Pavlov’s dogs