Transcript Loftus and Palmer Evaluation

Loftus and Palmer Evaluation
Cognitive Core Study
• Complete a card sort to identify which results and
conclusions link to experiment 1 and which results
and conclusions link to experiment 2.
• You will be provided with cards with information on
both experiments and some ‘red herrings’ too!
• In pairs you need to organise the cards logically in
sequence and into the three groups;
1. Results & conclusions from experiment 1
2. Results & conclusions from experiment 2
3. Red herrings!
Results from exp 1:
Verb Used
Speed
estimation
Results from exp 2:
2
conclusions
Verb Condition
Number of
participants
that saw
broken glass
Plus 6 red herrings!
% that saw
broken glass
Results from exp 1:
Results from exp 2:
Verb Used
Speed
estimation
2 conclusions
Verb Condition
Number of
participants
that saw
broken glass
% that saw
broken glass
Smashed
40.8
Response
Bias
Smashed
16
32%
Hit
7
14%
Control
6
12%
Collided
39.3
Bumped
38.1
Hit
34
Contacted
31.8
Memory
alteration caused
by schema
provoked by the
word used
Plus 6 red herrings!
•Confirm your card sort is correct by your teacher
•Use this information to complete the Core study worksheetcomplete the charts using this information
•Answer the questions about the conclusions that can be drawn
from the study
Task….
1. In your groups, develop at least:
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2 strengths
2 weaknesses of the Loftus and Palmer Study
2. Consider:
1.
2.
2 changes that you would make
What implications on the results would these changes have?
Strengths
1. Degree of control over confounding variables
 As the study was lab-based, the researchers could ensure that a range
of factors (age of participants, incident viewed, environment, etc).
Consequently, they could ensure that these factors did not affect the
respondents answers - and that only the verb-condition was causing the
participants to re-evaluate their memories
2. The reconstructive memory hypothesis is extremely useful
 for instance, in formulating guidelines in for police questioning of
witnesses and suspects
The study has also had real-world implications; based on evidence such as
Loftus’, the Devlin Report (1976) recommended trial judges be required to
instruct juries that it is not safe to convict on a single eyewitness testimony
alone.
Weaknesses
1. Ecological validity
 Viewing a video of a crash is different to experiencing one in “real life”
 Much less emotional involvement, which will inevitably affect recall
Also, when watching a real crash, there is much more context
 participants had been cued to watch the video, whilst crashes in real life
a largely unexpected
2. Sample used in the study could also be criticised
 as participants were all students ~ this could introduce confounding
variables, as the students may be eager to please more senior faculty
members.
 the memory capacity of students may be different to the general
population - they are practised at memorising information, or because
they have too much “important information” to remember to waste
memory on the “trivial” data provided in the car-crash video
Weaknesses Cont…
3. It should also be noted that some psychologists have criticised Loftus
and Palmer's conclusions.
 We have no way of knowing that the participants original memories had
been permanently altered by the leading questions.
 Instead, L and P suggest that participants could merely be following the
suggestions of the researcher in both the original round of questions
and the follow-up questions.
 Demand characteristics could be “carried forward” - as participants
have remembered that they had been asked about the cars "smashing“
into each other, they have been prompted to say that they have seen
broken glass in the follow up study.
Eyewitness Testimony
 Real life application ~
 Do you think that unsupported eyewitness testimony
should be sufficient evidence upon which to convict
someone?
 Consider this in your groups and note down some
reasons to why you think what you do
Psychology Bingo
How to play
You need to draw a grid with 6
boxes.
Chose 6 numbers/ terms from the list
provided to you.
You teacher will then read out a
description and if that matches your
number then put a cross in that box.
5
Rules!
You have to call bingo when you have
crossed all 6 boxes.
Don’t pick the same answers as the
person next to you!
For a challenge pick 6 numbers- you
should know most of them by now!
Numbers and terms
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Pick 6 of the following:
40.8
32
Schema
14
39.3
Leading question
34
12
38.1
31.8
Reconstructive memory