Elizabeth F. Loftus

Elizabeth F. Loftus is a Distinguished Professor at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), holding dual appointments in the School of Social Ecology’s Department of Criminology, Law and Society, and the Department of Psychological Science. She is renowned for her research on human memory, cognitive psychology, and the intersection of psychology with legal systems. Her work has profoundly influenced the understanding of eyewitness testimony, false memory implantation, and the role of misinformation in shaping recollections.

Loftus earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from Stanford University. Her career has spanned experimental, clinical, and legal domains, with a focus on how memory can be distorted by post-event information, leading to false recollections. She has testified in over 250 legal cases, including high-profile matters like the O.J. Simpson trial, emphasizing the fallibility of eyewitness accounts.

Her research has expanded into modern contexts, exploring the impact of AI-generated content and digital misinformation on memory. Awards include the APF Gold Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Science (2013) and the AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award (2017). Loftus has authored seminal books like The Myth of Repressed Memory and pioneered experiments demonstrating how suggestibility and therapeutic practices can create false memories.

Her work on “recovered memory” controversies, including the George Franklin case, highlighted the dangers of uncritically accepting unverified childhood trauma recollections. Recent projects address misinformation in political contexts and the ethical implications of memory manipulation in technology and therapy.