Loftus found that eyewitness reports are influenced by the words used to ask about the event. In one experiment, she found that use of the word "smashed" produced higher estimates of car speed than
Use of the word____________.
A) struck
B) banged
C) crashed
D) hit

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Loftus's experiment demonstrated that the choice of verb can significantly influence eyewitness testimony. When participants were asked how fast cars were going when they "smashed" into each other, they gave higher speed estimates than when the word "hit" was used, indicating that the phrasing of questions can alter perceptions of an event.

Loftus Found That Eyewitness Reports Are Influenced by the Words