Elizabeth Loftus and John Palmer Showed People a Filmed Automobile

Essay

Elizabeth Loftus and John Palmer showed people a filmed automobile accident. Afterward, some participants were asked to estimate how fast the cars were going when they "smashed" into one another. For others the words "bumped," "contacted," or "hit" replaced "smashed." One week later, each person was asked, "Did you see any broken glass?" Those asked earlier about the cars that "smashed" into one another were more likely to say yes, even though no broken glass was shown in the film. The new information ("smashed")was incorporated into the original memories, elaborating them and producing a(n)__________ memory.