Final answer:
Observers who were asked to use the word "smashed" about a car accident recalled the event being more severe than it was, estimating higher speeds and remembering non-existent broken glass due to the leading nature of the word, demonstrating the misinformation effect. Thus, the option D is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Loftus and Palmer used the word "smashed" in asking observers of a filmed car accident about the speed of vehicles involved, they found that this verb led to the observers developing memories of the accident that portrayed the event as more serious than it had actually been. Observers who heard the word "smashed" not only estimated higher speeds but were also more likely to falsely remember seeing broken glass, a detail that was not present in the film. This experiment by Loftus and Palmer exemplifies the misinformation effect, where the phrasing of a question can distort an eyewitness's memory.
It is worth mentioning that concepts such as the misinformation effect and suggestibility open discussions on the reliability of eyewitness testimonies in legal settings, the procedures used by law enforcement, and the therapeutic practices that seek to recover repressed memories. Loftus’s research throughout her career has underlined the fragility of memory and the ways it can be unintentionally influenced by the language used in questions during an investigation.