EWT - Loftus & Palmer

What can seriously affect eyewitness testimony?

• Expert witnesses

• Clear evidence

• Direct observation

• Misleading information

Which of the following is NOT a way that misleading information can affect recall of an event?

• The addition of new information after the event

• Both the addition of new information and the way eyewitnesses are questioned

• The way eyewitnesses are questioned about the event

• The eyewitness's personal bias

What was the aim of Loftus & Palmer's 1974 study?

• To determine the accuracy of eyewitness testimonies in court

• To investigate whether the language used in eyewitness testimony can alter memory

• To examine the effects of stress on memory recall

• To investigate if eyewitnesses' memories can be altered by other witnesses

In Experiment 1 by Loftus & Palmer (1974), what variable was manipulated?

• The length of the films shown to participants

• The type of questions asked after viewing the films

• The number of eyewitnesses present during the event

• The age of the participants

What was the critical question asked in Experiment 2 to measure the dependent variable?

• Did you see any broken glass?

• How many cars were involved in the accident?

• How fast were the cars going when they hit each other?

• What color were the cars involved in the accident?

What key conclusion can be drawn from Loftus & Palmer's research?

• Eyewitness testimony is always reliable

• Words used in interview questions can alter the actual memory for an event

• Leading questions have no effect on eyewitness testimony

• Memory recall improves over time

What positive real-life application has resulted from the research on misleading information?

• The cognitive interview no longer uses leading questions

• Eyewitnesses are now given incentives to remember better

• Use of video recordings has been discontinued

• All eyewitness testimonies are now considered unreliable