A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

What key question was asked in Loftus and Palmer's second experiment after the distractor questions?

1. "How fast were the cars going when they smashed into each other?"

2. "What color were the cars involved?"

3. "How many cars were there?"

4. "Was there any visible damage?"

The correct answer is: "How fast were the cars going when they smashed into each other?"

The correct answer pertains to a fundamental aspect of Loftus and Palmer's research on the effects of leading questions on eyewitness testimony. In their second experiment, participants were asked about the speed of the cars involved in a collision, specifically using the verb "smashed." This wording was crucial because it aimed to highlight how the phrasing of a question could influence a person's memory and perception of an event. The key focus of their study was to examine how the language used in questioning could alter a participant's recall, particularly regarding the speed at which cars were moving during the accident. By using the term "smashed," the researchers were interested in determining whether this specific language would lead participants to estimate a higher speed compared to different verb choices. This experiment provided insight into the reconstructive nature of memory and demonstrated that memory may be altered or influenced by external information, such as the wording of questions. Therefore, the inquiry about how fast the cars were going directly aligns with the core aim of their research, making it the correct response.