Effect Of Misinformation On Eyewitness Memory And Testimony
Early Methods Section
Beth Boardley
Argosy University
1. What is your research question?
Does the influence of direct or indirect exposure to misinformation have an effect on eyewitness memory and testimony?
2. What is your hypothesis or hypotheses? What is the null hypothesis?
Hypothesis: If one is exposed to misinformation then it can lead to distortions in human memory for genuinely experienced events, as well as details of people, things, and places and eyewitness’s can be misled leading them to depict false information.
Null Hypothesis: There is no affect to human memory, genuinely experienced events, nor details of people, things, and places, nor can eyewitness’s be misled leading them to depict false information when one is …show more content…
exposed to misinformation.
3. How many participants would you like to use and why? What are the inclusion characteristics, i.e., what must they have in order to be included in your study (for example, gender, diagnosis, age, personality traits, etc.)? Are there any exclusion characteristics, i.e. are there certain characteristics that would exclude them from being in your study? Does the sample need to be diverse? Why or why not?
For this study I would use 120 participants, 60 male and 60 female. The group would be composed of persons from ages 18-55 years of age. I chose 120 participants so there was an even number of participants as well as split the gender evenly to represent both equally. They would be split into 3 age groups, ages 18-30, 31-44, and 45-55. This would place 40 people in each age group for the study. The age range is set from 18-55 to cover a wide range of adult age population. The race and ethnicity would be as evenly divided as possible among the group. One exclusion criterion would be the age range, persons under 18 and above 55 years of age could not participate. I would also want to exclude persons whom have experienced a similar traumatic experience as what was going to be used in the study to help prevent adverse reaction to the material. I believe my sample does need to be diverse in order to be able to generalize my study findings to the general adult population. I believe my sample does need to be diverse in order to be able to generalize my study findings to the general adult population. You cannot complete a study on only females and expect the results to be generalizable to males also.
4. What sampling technique will be used to collect your sample? What population does your sample generalize to?
For this research study I would conduct convenience sampling. One reason I would choose this method is because of its ease and cost effectiveness. I would also choose this sampling technique because it would provide me the ability to choose how many participants I want as well as how I want to obtain them. I would continue to invite people to participate in the study until I had the desired amount as well as the diversity I needed for the study.
While convenience sampling does not get great reviews for being able to generalize to a population I believe that if conducted properly within the parameters I have suggested above, the population the study should generalize to the adult population. There are no really specific inclusion or exclusion criteria that would limit the generalization to a specific group of people. I plan to split the gender as well as try to get the same percent of race/ethnicities included in the study and equally represented in each age group. This will help me better generalize the study to the general population.
5. What are the variables in your study? HINT: Refer back to your hypothesis or hypotheses.
A few of the variables in my study would include, gender, age, race and ethnicity.
The environment would be a variable as well as the person presenting the information. The information presented itself would be considered a variable as some will receive misinformation and some will not. The method in which the information is presented is also a variable as some may receive misinformation from a discussion (person) some may read it in a paragraph form. The event witnessed is also a variable. Another variable will be the survey the participants have to take.
6. Provide operational definitions for each variable.
Gender: Relating to a person’s sex.
Age: The determination of the number of years passed since one’s birth configured by subtracting the birth year from the current year. If the month and day have yet to be reached in the current year, subtract 1.
Race: A social concept in which we use to classify humans by anatomical, cultural, ethnic, genetic, geographical, historical, linguistic, religious, and/or social affiliation.
Ethnicity: The classification of person’s as European American, African American,
Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latino, Native American, or Other.
Information: Facts or details about a subject; knowledge that one obtains from something or someone.
Misinformation: Information that is inaccurate and intentionally false that is spread deliberately.
Discussion: The act of talking between a person(s) about a topic(s) to reach a decision or to exchange …show more content…
ideas and information.
Event: An occurrence, something that happens, or is regarded as happening(ed) at a certain place within a particular interval of time.
Survey: “Method for collecting information or data as reported by individuals. This is a type of data collection known as self-report data, which means that individuals complete the survey (or provide the information) themselves” (Alleydog.com, 2014).
7. How will you measure each variable? Discuss the reliability and validity of these measures in general terms.
Gender: Would be measured nominally will be male or female. The is a reliable measure as it measures one’s gender as male or female, which if asked again the answer would be the same. It is also logically valid as it measures what it is intended to measure.
Age: Would be measured on an interval scale in the age ranges above. This is a reliable measure because they are either within the one of the age groups or not. It is also valid as it provides a measure of one’s age.
Race: Will be measured nominally in categories of American Indian or Alaska Native,
Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, or White. This is reliable as if asked again the individual would answer the question the same as well as valid because it measures what it is intended to measure.
Ethnicity: Will be measured nominally in categories of Hispanic or Latino or Not Hispanic or Latino. It is also reliable as they should answer the question the same each time as well as it is valid in measuring the intended information.
Misinformation: Will be measured on a nominal level as well with categories such as received and not received. This information is reliable because we will know whether the participant received or did not receive misinformation. It is valid because it answers the question of if a participant got misinformation or did not.
8. What technique will be used for data collection (e.g., observation, survey, interview, archival, etc.)?
Data collection will be conducted after watching a video clip with a paper and pencil questionnaire survey in which there are multiple steps.
9. What type of research design is being used?
For this we would be using correlational research. This type of research looks for relationships between two or more variables such as receiving misinformation and its effect on one’s eyewitness memory and testimony. We would be using a quantitative method. We are using a survey research design which is comprised as a questionnaire as we are using a questionnaire to gather information from the participants.
10. Briefly discuss the procedure that would be followed when conducting the research.
The participants will watch a two minute video in which a crime occurs. They will then complete the survey packet which has multiple steps. The first step is a series of filler tasks including word searches, Sudoku, crossword puzzles, and mazes in which they will be given 8 minutes to work on. The second part contains a narrative. One version of the narrative will depict the events of the video clip with correct details and information and a separate version will contain misleading information in the form of five pieces of false information. They will have 3 minutes to read the narrative. After reading the narrative participants will hand it in and complete a questionnaire over the witnessed event which will contain 20 cued questions, five in which addressed the misled data on surveys with the misled information. Participants that are in the discussion category are instructed to discuss the questions with their partner (a collaborative) and select one single answer to the questions. They will have 10 minutes to complete the survey. This will be followed by four demographic questions about gender, age, race, and ethnicity in which they are given 5 minutes to complete. They will be instructed to continue working on the filler tasks if they have remaining time. After the 5 minutes they will be given another questionnaire that will include a free recall prompt, followed by 20 more cued recall questions to answer individually in both groups. They will be given 10 minutes to complete this questionnaire and instructed to continue with the filler tasks if time remains.
References
Alleydog.com.
(2014, January 1). Survey. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.php?term=Survey
Argosy University Online. (2014, January 1). Research Methods Module 1- Module 3. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://myeclassonline.com/re/DotNextLaunch.asp?courseid=10686823&userid=22842622&sessionid=cd4d8605a8&tabid=gs7W9eYaOK //4xGN6qdrZ86vKRPLAncccqnKo9fR/7rz7deMbJF5F v39z5aoEL&sessionFirstAuthStore=true&macid=tBumIee7T6ii8Ydl1uinSpoFk5toNhAsRXyEm3P27ex4PI8u/
Carroll, S. (n.d.). Types of research designs you can use for your dissertation. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.dissertation-statistics.com/research-designs.html
Cohen, E. (2009, September 19). Measurement. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.sjsu.edu/people/edward.cohen/courses/298/s6/Week 4 handout Measurement.pdf
Convenience sampling | Lærd Dissertation. (2012, January 1). Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://dissertation.laerd.com/convenience-sampling.php
Santayana, G. (2011, July 17). Measurement in Research. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from
http://www.drtomoconnor.com/3760/3760lect03a.htm
Shaughnessy, J., Zechmeister, E., & Zechmeister, J. (2008). Research Methods In Psychology, 8th Edition. [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. Retrieved from http://digitalbookshelf.argosy.edu/books/007-7376463/id/P5-42
Types of Variables. (n.d.). Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.indiana.edu/~educy520/sec5982/week_2/variable_types.pdf
Beth Boardley
Argosy University
1. What is your research question?
Does the influence of direct or indirect exposure to misinformation have an effect on eyewitness memory and testimony?
2. What is your hypothesis or hypotheses? What is the null hypothesis?
Hypothesis: If one is exposed to misinformation then it can lead to distortions in human memory for genuinely experienced events, as well as details of people, things, and places and eyewitness’s can be misled leading them to depict false information.
Null Hypothesis: There is no affect to human memory, genuinely experienced events, nor details of people, things, and places, nor can eyewitness’s be misled leading them to depict false information when one is …show more content…
exposed to misinformation.
3. How many participants would you like to use and why? What are the inclusion characteristics, i.e., what must they have in order to be included in your study (for example, gender, diagnosis, age, personality traits, etc.)? Are there any exclusion characteristics, i.e. are there certain characteristics that would exclude them from being in your study? Does the sample need to be diverse? Why or why not?
For this study I would use 120 participants, 60 male and 60 female. The group would be composed of persons from ages 18-55 years of age. I chose 120 participants so there was an even number of participants as well as split the gender evenly to represent both equally. They would be split into 3 age groups, ages 18-30, 31-44, and 45-55. This would place 40 people in each age group for the study. The age range is set from 18-55 to cover a wide range of adult age population. The race and ethnicity would be as evenly divided as possible among the group. One exclusion criterion would be the age range, persons under 18 and above 55 years of age could not participate. I would also want to exclude persons whom have experienced a similar traumatic experience as what was going to be used in the study to help prevent adverse reaction to the material. I believe my sample does need to be diverse in order to be able to generalize my study findings to the general adult population. I believe my sample does need to be diverse in order to be able to generalize my study findings to the general adult population. You cannot complete a study on only females and expect the results to be generalizable to males also.
4. What sampling technique will be used to collect your sample? What population does your sample generalize to?
For this research study I would conduct convenience sampling. One reason I would choose this method is because of its ease and cost effectiveness. I would also choose this sampling technique because it would provide me the ability to choose how many participants I want as well as how I want to obtain them. I would continue to invite people to participate in the study until I had the desired amount as well as the diversity I needed for the study.
While convenience sampling does not get great reviews for being able to generalize to a population I believe that if conducted properly within the parameters I have suggested above, the population the study should generalize to the adult population. There are no really specific inclusion or exclusion criteria that would limit the generalization to a specific group of people. I plan to split the gender as well as try to get the same percent of race/ethnicities included in the study and equally represented in each age group. This will help me better generalize the study to the general population.
5. What are the variables in your study? HINT: Refer back to your hypothesis or hypotheses.
A few of the variables in my study would include, gender, age, race and ethnicity.
The environment would be a variable as well as the person presenting the information. The information presented itself would be considered a variable as some will receive misinformation and some will not. The method in which the information is presented is also a variable as some may receive misinformation from a discussion (person) some may read it in a paragraph form. The event witnessed is also a variable. Another variable will be the survey the participants have to take.
6. Provide operational definitions for each variable.
Gender: Relating to a person’s sex.
Age: The determination of the number of years passed since one’s birth configured by subtracting the birth year from the current year. If the month and day have yet to be reached in the current year, subtract 1.
Race: A social concept in which we use to classify humans by anatomical, cultural, ethnic, genetic, geographical, historical, linguistic, religious, and/or social affiliation.
Ethnicity: The classification of person’s as European American, African American,
Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latino, Native American, or Other.
Information: Facts or details about a subject; knowledge that one obtains from something or someone.
Misinformation: Information that is inaccurate and intentionally false that is spread deliberately.
Discussion: The act of talking between a person(s) about a topic(s) to reach a decision or to exchange …show more content…
ideas and information.
Event: An occurrence, something that happens, or is regarded as happening(ed) at a certain place within a particular interval of time.
Survey: “Method for collecting information or data as reported by individuals. This is a type of data collection known as self-report data, which means that individuals complete the survey (or provide the information) themselves” (Alleydog.com, 2014).
7. How will you measure each variable? Discuss the reliability and validity of these measures in general terms.
Gender: Would be measured nominally will be male or female. The is a reliable measure as it measures one’s gender as male or female, which if asked again the answer would be the same. It is also logically valid as it measures what it is intended to measure.
Age: Would be measured on an interval scale in the age ranges above. This is a reliable measure because they are either within the one of the age groups or not. It is also valid as it provides a measure of one’s age.
Race: Will be measured nominally in categories of American Indian or Alaska Native,
Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, or White. This is reliable as if asked again the individual would answer the question the same as well as valid because it measures what it is intended to measure.
Ethnicity: Will be measured nominally in categories of Hispanic or Latino or Not Hispanic or Latino. It is also reliable as they should answer the question the same each time as well as it is valid in measuring the intended information.
Misinformation: Will be measured on a nominal level as well with categories such as received and not received. This information is reliable because we will know whether the participant received or did not receive misinformation. It is valid because it answers the question of if a participant got misinformation or did not.
8. What technique will be used for data collection (e.g., observation, survey, interview, archival, etc.)?
Data collection will be conducted after watching a video clip with a paper and pencil questionnaire survey in which there are multiple steps.
9. What type of research design is being used?
For this we would be using correlational research. This type of research looks for relationships between two or more variables such as receiving misinformation and its effect on one’s eyewitness memory and testimony. We would be using a quantitative method. We are using a survey research design which is comprised as a questionnaire as we are using a questionnaire to gather information from the participants.
10. Briefly discuss the procedure that would be followed when conducting the research.
The participants will watch a two minute video in which a crime occurs. They will then complete the survey packet which has multiple steps. The first step is a series of filler tasks including word searches, Sudoku, crossword puzzles, and mazes in which they will be given 8 minutes to work on. The second part contains a narrative. One version of the narrative will depict the events of the video clip with correct details and information and a separate version will contain misleading information in the form of five pieces of false information. They will have 3 minutes to read the narrative. After reading the narrative participants will hand it in and complete a questionnaire over the witnessed event which will contain 20 cued questions, five in which addressed the misled data on surveys with the misled information. Participants that are in the discussion category are instructed to discuss the questions with their partner (a collaborative) and select one single answer to the questions. They will have 10 minutes to complete the survey. This will be followed by four demographic questions about gender, age, race, and ethnicity in which they are given 5 minutes to complete. They will be instructed to continue working on the filler tasks if they have remaining time. After the 5 minutes they will be given another questionnaire that will include a free recall prompt, followed by 20 more cued recall questions to answer individually in both groups. They will be given 10 minutes to complete this questionnaire and instructed to continue with the filler tasks if time remains.
References
Alleydog.com.
(2014, January 1). Survey. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.php?term=Survey
Argosy University Online. (2014, January 1). Research Methods Module 1- Module 3. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://myeclassonline.com/re/DotNextLaunch.asp?courseid=10686823&userid=22842622&sessionid=cd4d8605a8&tabid=gs7W9eYaOK //4xGN6qdrZ86vKRPLAncccqnKo9fR/7rz7deMbJF5F v39z5aoEL&sessionFirstAuthStore=true&macid=tBumIee7T6ii8Ydl1uinSpoFk5toNhAsRXyEm3P27ex4PI8u/
Carroll, S. (n.d.). Types of research designs you can use for your dissertation. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.dissertation-statistics.com/research-designs.html
Cohen, E. (2009, September 19). Measurement. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.sjsu.edu/people/edward.cohen/courses/298/s6/Week 4 handout Measurement.pdf
Convenience sampling | Lærd Dissertation. (2012, January 1). Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://dissertation.laerd.com/convenience-sampling.php
Santayana, G. (2011, July 17). Measurement in Research. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from
http://www.drtomoconnor.com/3760/3760lect03a.htm
Shaughnessy, J., Zechmeister, E., & Zechmeister, J. (2008). Research Methods In Psychology, 8th Edition. [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. Retrieved from http://digitalbookshelf.argosy.edu/books/007-7376463/id/P5-42
Types of Variables. (n.d.). Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.indiana.edu/~educy520/sec5982/week_2/variable_types.pdf