Light

Elizabeth Loftus

Definition

Elizabeth Loftus is a cognitive psychologist and expert on human memory. She's known for her extensive research on the malleability and reliability of repressed memories.

Analogy

Think of Elizabeth Loftus as a detective who investigates the crime scene of our minds. Just like how detectives can find that initial perceptions of a crime scene can be misleading, Loftus discovered that our memories aren't always as reliable or accurate as we think they are.

Related terms

False Memory Syndrome: This is when a person's identity and relationships are affected by false but strongly believed memories of traumatic experiences.

Eyewitness Testimony: This refers to an account given by people who have witnessed a significant event, often used in legal contexts. However, it has been found to be unreliable due to the malleability of our memories.

Cognitive Psychology: This branch of psychology studies mental processes such as "how people think, perceive, remember and learn," which includes research into memory manipulation.