What was the main finding of Loftus and Palmer (1974) regarding leading questions?

• A. Memory is unaffected by question wording.
• B. Leading questions improve accuracy.
• C. Eyewitness memory is more reliable under stress.
• D. Question wording can influence recall and speed estimates of an event.

Answer: (D)

The key idea is that the way a question is phrased can shape how people remember an event. Loftus and Palmer showed that using different verbs to describe a car crash changed participants’ speed estimates and even what they later recalled. For example, a more intense verb like “smashed” led to higher speed estimates than a milder verb like “hit,” and people in the more intense condition were more likely to claim there was broken glass when none was shown. This demonstrates that memory is reconstructive and can be biased by question wording. So the main finding is that question wording can influence recall and speed estimates of an event. The other options miss this core point, as they imply no effect, improved accuracy, or a focus on stress rather than wording.