A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

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What was the primary aim of Loftus and Palmer's 1974 experiment?

To study the influence of eyewitness testimony on court cases
To analyze the effects of language on memory
To evaluate the reliability of memory recall
To research the impact of visual cues on memory retention

The correct answer is: To analyze the effects of language on memory

The primary aim of Loftus and Palmer's 1974 experiment was to analyze the effects of language on memory, which is reflected in the correct answer. Their research focused specifically on how different verbs used in questions about a car accident could influence participants' memories of the event. For instance, they found that the wording of a question, such as using "smashed" versus "hit," led to differing estimates of the speed of the vehicles involved. This suggests that the ways in which questions are framed can significantly impact a witness's memory recall, highlighting the malleability of human memory and how it can be shaped by external factors like language. In contrast, while eyewitness testimony and memory reliability are relevant topics, the specific focus of Loftus and Palmer's work was on the linguistic influences on memory, rather than a broader evaluation of memory recall. Their findings contribute to our understanding of the misinformation effect and inform us about potential pitfalls in legal contexts regarding eyewitness accounts.