In a study by Elizabeth Loftus and her colleagues on eyewitness memory,participants were shown a film of a car accident.When tested a week later,what factor was found to influence the participant's memory of whether or not they had seen broken glass after the accident?
A)if they had seen pictures of the accident.
B)If they were asked which car had a broken window.
C)the words used to describe the impact of the two cars.
D)the reports given by other eyewitnesses.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The words used to describe the impact of the two cars influenced the participant's memory of whether or not they had seen broken glass after the accident. In the original study, participants who were asked "Did you see any broken glass?" were more likely to report seeing broken glass compared to those who were asked "Did you see the broken glass?" or not asked about it at all. This suggests that the specific wording of questions can alter eyewitness memory.

In a Study by Elizabeth Loftus and Her Colleagues on Eyewitness