EWT
Eyewitness testimony - ability to remember details of events they've seen
→ most valuable application of memory to everyday life
- Misleading info - supplying info that may lead to a witness memory being distorted
- Leading question - question that suggests what answer is desired or leads to desired answer
Loftus & Palmer (1974)
- examine effects of leading questions on accuracy of EWT
- 45 American students - 5 groups of 9 - ps watched a video of car crash & asked question about speed of cars
→ manipulated verb used in question - smashed, collided, bumped, hit, contacted
- smashed - 40.5 mph
- collided - 39.3 mph
- bumped - 38.1 mph
- hit - 34 mph
- contacted - 31.8
2nd experiment
- 150 US students - 3 even groups
- 1 min video of a car accident then given questionnaire - manipulated verb in question
→ 1 week later ps returned & asked series of questions
- critical question - 'Did you see any broken glass'
- smashed : yes - 16, no - 34
- Hit : yes - 7, no - 43
- collided : yes - 6, no - 44
Post event discussion - Gabbert (2003)
- Investigate if memory can be altered through discussing events w/ others
- Response bias - wording of qs has no real effect on ps memories - just influences how they answer
- Substitution explanation - wording of LQ changes Ps memory
- ps in pairs where each watched diff video of same event
→ viewed new unique items
- pairs in one condition encouraged to discuss event before each partner indiv. recalled their event
- 71%who discussed event went on to mistakenly recall items during discussion
→ PED discussion effects our recall & alters memory