... was changed to a question which conflicted with the original witnessed event. After one week, all of the participants were asked a further ten questions, and for the final question it was a conflicting question. Loftus found that only 2.7 per cent of the participants in group 1 gave the incorrect answer. Loftus also found that 17.3 per cent of group 2 also answered incorrect. Therefore, Loftus concluded that for group 2, the non-existent image which was repeatedly asked about in the conflicting question, it had been added to the original memory representation of the event at the question stage so that it was now recalled as being part of the original event. There are other factors apart from misleading questions that affect eye witness testimony. Loftus reported a study in 1979 about the anxiety of the witness, where participants were exposed to one of the two situations stated below: 1. Overhearing a low-key ...

See this essay or coursework document in full right now