Researchers report that when mock witnesses were asked the estimated speed of two cars involved in an accident, responses decreased almost 16 km/h when the wording changed from _____to _____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The correct answer is D) smashed; contacted. This is based on the famous experiment by Loftus and Palmer (1974) on eyewitness testimony, where the phrasing of a question about a car accident ("How fast were the cars going when they smashed into each other?" vs. "How fast were the cars going when they contacted each other?") significantly affected the estimated speed given by participants. The use of the word "smashed" elicited higher speed estimates compared to "contacted."

Researchers Report That When Mock Witnesses Were Asked the Estimated