A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

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What was the purpose of the control group in Loftus and Palmer's second experiment?

To compare the accuracy of memory recall
To establish a baseline measurement
To assess the impact of the question asked
To measure the effect of speed on memory retention

The correct answer is: To establish a baseline measurement

The purpose of the control group in Loftus and Palmer's second experiment was to establish a baseline measurement. In this experiment, the researchers aimed to investigate how different wording in questions could affect participants' recollections of an event, specifically a traffic accident video. Including a control group allowed researchers to obtain a standard reference point against which the experimental group's responses could be compared. This ensured that any differences observed could be attributed to the manipulation of the independent variable (the wording of the questions) rather than other factors, providing greater validity to the findings. The control group essentially provided a clearer understanding of how much the manipulated variable influenced participants' memory recall.