Cognitive Psychology Fundamentals

Cognitive psychology is the study of mental processes such as attention, memory, and problem-solving.

Schemas are mental frameworks that help organize and interpret information.

Leading questions are questions that suggest a particular answer or contain information that might bias a witness's recall.

Eye-witness testimony is when someone who saw a crime gives evidence in court, recalling what they saw.

The misinformation effect occurs when exposure to misleading information distorts memories.

Loftus and Palmer (1974) investigated the effect of question wording on memory recall, particularly in the context of car crash eyewitness testimony.

In Loftus and Palmer's study, participants watched a video of a car crash and then answered questions about the event, including a question about the speed of the cars using different verbs.

The verbs used in the critical question were 'smashed,' 'collided,' 'bumped,' 'hit,' or 'contacted.'

Loftus and Palmer found that the verb used in the question significantly affected the participants' speed estimates. 'Smashed' resulted in higher speed estimates.

The wording of a question can influence a witness's memory of an event.

Response bias is a tendency to respond inaccurately or falsely to questions.

Loftus and Palmer's second experiment involved asking participants if they saw broken glass, even though there was none. Those who had 'smashed' in their initial question were more likely to incorrectly recall seeing glass.

The question wording can alter not only the immediate speed estimates but also subsequent recall of details related to the accident.

Memory is a reconstructive process, meaning it is not a perfect recording but rather a recreation influenced by various factors.

Post-event information can alter or distort memories, leading to inaccuracies.