Question

students were asked about the speed of cars involved in an accident. when the verb was changed from \contacted\ to \smashed\,

• participants estimated the speed of the vehicle involved in the crash to be lower when the verb was \smashed.\
• participants estimated the speed of the vehicle involved in the crash to be higher.
• it had no effect on estimates.
• it had no effect on the participants estimate of the speed of the vehicle involved in the crash

Explanation:

Identify the classic psychological study

Using the Eyewitness Testimony and Misinformation Effect knowledge points, this question references the landmark 1974 experiment by Elizabeth Loftus and John Palmer. They investigated how language used in eyewitness questioning influences memory recall of an automobile accident.

Analyze the effect of verb intensity

Using the Memory Reconstruction knowledge point, the study showed that the phrasing of a question alters a participant's cognitive reconstruction of an event. When the verb was changed from a low-intensity word like "contacted" to a high-intensity word like "smashed", participants estimated the speed of the vehicles to be significantly higher.

Evaluate the given options

• Option 1 suggests speed estimates were lower when "smashed" was used, which contradicts the experimental findings.
• Option 2 states that participants estimated the speed of the vehicle to be higher, which aligns perfectly with the study's results.
• Options 3 and 4 suggest the verb change had no effect, which is incorrect as the phrasing had a statistically significant impact on speed estimates.

Answer:

• participants estimated the speed of the vehicle involved in the crash to be lower when the verb was "smashed."
• participants estimated the speed of the vehicle involved in the crash to be higher. (Correct answer)
• it had no effect on estimates.
• it had no effect on the participant's' estimate of the speed of the vehicle involved in the crash