Loftus and Palmer (1974) (Reconstructive Memory and Eyewitness Testimony)

objective of Loftus and Palmer (1974) (Reconstructive Memory and Eyewitness Testimony)

• The objective of the study was to examine how leading questions affect eyewitness testimony and the accuracy of memory. Specifically, Loftus and Palmer aimed to explore whether the phrasing of a question could alter a person's memory of an event, thus reconstructing their recollection.

Method of Loftus and Palmer (1974) (Reconstructive Memory and Eyewitness Testimony)

• This study was a laboratory experiment. The participants watched a video of a car accident and were then asked a series of questions about what they had seen. The critical question involved the use of different verbs to describe the car’s speed: "How fast was the car going when it smashed into the other car?" vs. "How fast was the car going when it contacted the other car?" The researchers measured how the wording of the question influenced the participants’ memory of the event.

outcome of Loftus and Palmer (1974) (Reconstructive Memory and Eyewitness Testimony)

• The results showed that participants who were asked with the verb "smashed" reported significantly higher speeds than those asked with the verb "contacted." In addition, when participants were asked about broken glass (which was not present), those who heard the verb "smashed" were more likely to incorrectly recall the presence of glass. This demonstrated that the use of misleading or suggestive language could reconstruct memories, influencing how an event is remembered.

what are the ethical considerations Loftus and Palmer (1974) (Reconstructive Memory and Eyewitness Testimony)

• One major ethical consideration in this study was informed consent. Although participants were not deceived about the nature of the experiment, they were not explicitly told that the aim of the study was to investigate the effect of leading questions on memory. While the participants were likely unaware of the specific manipulations at the time, the experiment did involve subtle changes to their memories, potentially leading them to believe their recollections were more accurate than they truly were. This could raise concerns about the psychological impact of misleading participants, particularly when the research involves altering memory, which could influence their future recollections of real-life events.

gaps of Loftus and Palmer (1974) (Reconstructive Memory and Eyewitness Testimony)

• The study was conducted in a laboratory setting, which may limit its ecological validity; real-life eyewitness memory might be influenced by additional factors not present in the controlled experiment.

• The sample consisted of college students, which may not be representative of the general population in terms of memory abilities or experience.

• The study focused only on one specific type of event (a car accident), so it is unclear whether these results would apply to other types of memories. (love external validity)

• The long-term effects of misleading information on memory were not investigated; only short-term recall was measured.
  

how is the study relavent?

• Cognitive processes, particularly memory and how it can be influenced by language.
  

• The reliability of eyewitness testimony and the potential for distortion in legal contexts.