Overview: This Week's APA Style Assignment Requires Reading

Overviewthis Weeks Apa Style Assignment Requires You To Read And Summa

Overview this week's APA Style assignment requires you to read and summarize an empirical research article. The goal is to demonstrate your understanding of the research article and the research methods covered so far, while following APA Style guidelines. Instructions include reading the article "Reconstruction of Automobile Destruction" (Loftus & Palmer, 1974), summarizing it with specific headings, and including an APA Style student title page and reference page. The summary should be at least two pages, double-spaced, and well-organized following the provided template.

Paper For Above instruction

In the assignment, students are tasked with thoroughly reading and summarizing the seminal empirical article "Reconstruction of Automobile Destruction" by Loftus and Palmer (1974). This research is foundational in understanding how memory can be influenced by external variables such as language, and it exemplifies key research methodologies used within experimental psychology. The assignment aims to assess comprehension of research design, operationalization of variables, and interpretation of findings in the context of psychological research.

The core focus of Loftus and Palmer's (1974) study was to examine how different wording of a question could influence an individual's memory of an automobile accident. The researchers hypothesized that the intensity of the language used in questions about speed would affect participants' estimations and recollections of the event. This aligns with the broader investigation into the malleability of human memory and the role of linguistic cues in shaping perceptions and reports of events.

The study employed a controlled experimental design involving 45 college students, equally divided by gender, recruited via a university participant pool. Although the demographic specifics were not highly diverse, the sample was typical for psychological experiments of the period. Participants viewed filmed car accidents and were then asked questions regarding the event. The independent variable was the wording of the critical question—specifically, the verb used to describe the collision (e.g., "smashed" vs. "hit"). The dependent variable was the participants' estimated speed of the vehicle. The design involved different groups (between-subjects) to compare how the wording influenced speed estimates.

Operationally, the researchers defined and measured their variables through direct questions—speed estimates serving as the main dependent variable and the verb choice as the independent variable. The procedure included showing participants a video footage of a car crash, then immediately asking a question about the speed. A second part of the experiment involved asking whether they saw any broken glass, with some participants being led to believe that broken glass was present and others not, to test the impact of language on memory distortion.

The results revealed significant differences based on the wording of the question. Participants who heard the verb "smashed" estimated higher speeds than those asked with "hit." Furthermore, those in the "smashed" group were more likely to report seeing broken glass, even when none was present, indicating that language can alter both perception and memory, supporting the hypothesis of memory's reconstructive nature.

The researchers interpreted these findings as evidence that the phrasing of questions can influence memory by altering participants' perceptions of event severity. They proposed that the verb "smashed" conveyed a more intense image, leading to higher speed estimates and confabulation about the presence of glass. Limitations discussed included the artificial nature of the experimental setting and the homogenous sample, which may restrict generalization. The researchers recommended future studies explore various linguistic and contextual factors, as well as more naturalistic settings, to expand understanding of memory reconstruction mechanisms.

In conclusion, Loftus and Palmer’s (1974) experiment demonstrated that human memory is not a flawless recording but susceptible to influence from external cues, particularly language. Their findings have profound implications for eyewitness testimony, legal procedures, and the understanding of cognitive processes involved in memory formation and recall. Summarizing this article not only helps reinforce knowledge of research methods but also highlights the importance of precise language in judicial and everyday contexts.

References

• Loftus, E. F., & Palmer, J. C. (1974). Reconstruction of automobile destruction: An example of the interaction between language and memory. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 13(5), 585-589.
• Schacter, D. L., Gilbert, D. T., & Wegner, D. M. (2011). Psychology (2nd ed.). Worth Publishers.
• Roediger, H. L., & McDermott, K. B. (1995). Creating false memories: Remembering words not presented in lists. Memory & Cognition, 23(3), 413-423.
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• Craik, F. I. M., & Lockhart, R. S. (1972). Levels of processing: A framework for memory research. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 11(6), 671-684.
• Yuille, J. C., & Cutshall, J. C. (1986). A case study of eyewitness memory of a crime. Journal of Applied Psychology, 71(2), 291-300.