Loftus and Palmer- 1974

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Aim
To discover if language used in EWT alters memory. To show that leading questions could distort EWT accounts-ppts estimated speed of motor vehicles using various forms of qs. Estimating speed- difficult to do- so more open to suggestion.
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Procedure- 'About how fast were the cars going when they HIT/SMASHED/COLLIDED/BUMPED/CONTACTED each other?
45 US Students-opportunity sample. Lab exp with 5 conditions. Independent measures design.ppts shown slides of car accident-asked to describe it as if an eyewhitness. IV- wording of q. DV-speed reported by ppts-1 week later ppts asked- broken glass?
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Findings
Estimated speed-affected by verb used- implied info about speed-systematic. Smashed-highest speed, then collided, bumped, hit and lastly contacted. Smashed- more likley to say yes to broken glasss. Question appears to have modified the memory itself.
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Conclusions (Confabulation- false details of an event)
Memory can be easily distorted by questioning technique. Info acquired after the event can merge with original memory causing inacurate recall/reconstructive memory. Respose Bias factors- critical word. Memory representation is altered.
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Criticism
Lacks mundane realism- video clip does not have the emotional impact of whitnessing a real-life accident, so research lacks ecological validity.
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Ethical Issues
Lack of Valid consent- would have a profound affect on accuracy of EWT. If ppts were aware of Aim, they'd have gave more careful responses. From ppts POV- Deception could be 'mild' as they weren't psychologically/physically harmed.
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Procedure- 'About how fast were the cars going when they HIT/SMASHED/COLLIDED/BUMPED/CONTACTED each other?

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45 US Students-opportunity sample. Lab exp with 5 conditions. Independent measures design.ppts shown slides of car accident-asked to describe it as if an eyewhitness. IV- wording of q. DV-speed reported by ppts-1 week later ppts asked- broken glass?

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Findings

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Conclusions (Confabulation- false details of an event)

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Criticism

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