Final answer:
The 'red Datsun studies' by Elizabeth Loftus demonstrated the unreliability of eyewitness memory by showing how leading questions can influence people's memories of an event, such as altering their perception of speed and creating false memories like seeing non-existent broken glass.
Step-by-step explanation:
Elizabeth Loftus' 'red Datsun studies', or more formally known as the misinformation effect studies, demonstrated the unreliability of eyewitness memory. In these experiments, Loftus and her colleague showed participants videos of car accidents and then asked questions using various verbs to describe the accidents (e.g., 'smashed', 'hit', 'collided'). The wording of the questions influenced participants' memories, with those hearing 'smashed' not only estimating higher speeds but later falsely remembering details such as broken glass. These studies highlighted how memories can be altered through leading questions, thus showcasing how unreliable and malleable human memory can be, especially in the context of eyewitness testimony.