Question

A police officer stops people to ask them about an automobile accident they may have witnessed the previous day. Since they were in the area at the time of the accident, the police officer asks how fast the cars were going when they "smashed" into each other. Given the research findings of Loftus and Palmer, how might the police officer's wording affect one's recollection of the incident?

Answer 1

Answer: Eyewitness testimony can be unreliable and influenced by LEADING QUESTIONS. This was illustrated in a psychology study by Loftus and Palmer (1974).

In this research, they discovered that information in terms of both visual imagery and wording of questions influences the testimony of eyewitnesses significantly.

The police officer wording of the word smashed can affect one's recollection of the event because the word used is leading.

Answer 2

If someone is exposed to new information during the interval between witnessing the event and recalling it, the police officer's wording as regards what was witnessed in the accident may have marked effects on what they recall thus, bringing forth a new discovery