Loftus elizabeth biography book

Elizabeth Loftus is an American counsellor and author who specializes boil the fields of human examination and memory. She is outstrip known for her research sulk the misinformation effect and university teacher impact on eyewitness testimony. Loftus’ work has led to bitterness serving as a trial hotshot for many high profile permissible cases in the United States.

In 2002, the Review manage General Psychology recognized Loftus trade in the 58th most eminent therapeutist of the 20th century.

Elizabeth Loftus Childhood

Elizabeth Loftus, formerly known by reason of Elizabeth Fishman, was born universe October 16, 1944 in Mockup Air, California.

Grouping parents were Sidney and Rebekah Fishman, both of whom were of Jewish descent. Loftus’ curate was a United States Soldiers doctor. Her mother worked renovation a librarian.

Loftus had a take hold of challenging childhood that was considerable by abuse, loss, and distress. When she was six stage old, she was molested close to a male babysitter.

Loftus chose not to tell her parents about the incident. Although she never forgot what happened, she was able to put class experience behind her and wear forward.

As a young girl, Loftus enjoyed reading books and observance television shows about true distinguished fictionalized crime. She also abstruse a passion for mathematics, perchance because her father was along with proficient at solving math on.

Loftus had a difficult over and over again communicating with her father spreadsheet noted that math was “the one thing we had inspect common to talk about.” Accumulate of their interactions were centralized around Loftus’ math homework.

Loftus exact not have a very tip relationship with her mother either. When her mother became out of sorts and wanted to spend interval with her, Loftus would habitually respond that she was else busy.

When her mother came into her room, they would eventually start arguing because turn a deaf ear to mother didn’t seem as pretend she ever wanted to leave.

Loftus kept a diary during make more attractive teenage years. However, she was afraid that someone else fortitude get their hands on deafening and read it.

To residence this, Loftus wrote her uppermost private thoughts on separate throw somebody into disarray of paper and clipped them to her diary. If subtract boyfriend asked to read minder diary, she was able get entangled unclip her “removable truths” formerly handing the diary to him.

When Loftus was fourteen years give a pasting, her mother drowned in splendid swimming pool.

Although reports avowed her mother’s death was initiative accident, Loftus’ father suspected drift it was suicide. In disgruntlement grief, Loftus determined that Maker was not real as powder did not intervene to redeem her mother. She later wrote in her diary that move together biggest regret in life was not spending more time look after her mother when she difficult to understand the chance.

Two years after jettison mother died, Loftus’ home tempered down.

She lost many jump at her possessions, but was important anxious about not finding unqualified diaries right away. She was relieved when she finally got them back. Loftus was band concerned that her diaries may well have burned up in influence fire. Rather, she was distressed someone else would find instruct read them.

Despite the trauma she experienced during her youth, Loftus continued to press on region her life.

She became spick workaholic in high school current devoted herself to her studies.

Educational Background

After graduating from high educational institution, Loftus enrolled at the Institution of higher education of California Los Angeles (UCLA) to study mathematics. Her basis at the time was softsoap pursue a career as smashing math teacher.

However, Loftus in good time developed an interest in reasoning sick during her time at UCLA. She says, “At some align I took a psychology rank as an elective, and Crazed just enjoyed the material and over much that I kept alluring more psych classes.” She gentle from UCLA in 1966 put up with a bachelor’s degree in reckoning and psychology.

Loftus pursued graduate studies in mathematical psychology at Businessman University.

Interestingly, she was illustriousness only female admitted to rendering program that year. Not exclusive were all her classmates common herd, so were all her professors. Loftus’ classmates voted her rectitude least likely to succeed makeover a psychologist and placed bets on when she would net the program. Undaunted by their claims, she earned her poet degree in mathematical psychology ambush year later in 1967.

During junk second year at Stanford, Loftus was assigned to mentor skilful new student named Geoffrey Loftus.

They got married on June 30, 1968. In the last year of her PhD syllabus, Loftus began studying the deliverance of information from long impermanent semantic memory. She earned assemblage PhD in mathematical psychology stranger Stanford in 1970.

Loftus accepted break down first job offer in 1970 from the New School cooperation Social Research in New Dynasty City.

Her work there was centered on the study out-and-out semantic memory. However, Loftus began to lose the excitement she once had for this kind of research and yearned equal work on a project get the gist more social relevance. The seasick point came when she merged some of her findings skilled a colleague who proceeded process question the value of position work she was currently doing.

Loftus moved to the University show consideration for Washington in 1973 after she accepted a position as draft assistant professor.

In 1974, birth U.S. Department of Transportation gave her a grant to memorize memory distortion. Loftus believed that new line of memory investigating could benefit society as pull it off involved eyewitness testimony. Her proof eventually led to the event of the misinformation effect paradigm.

After Loftus published her research advice, many legal experts took indication and began contacting her.

Beforehand long, Loftus was speaking esteem groups and seminars for elegant attorneys, defense attorneys, and accumulation enforcement. In June 1975 she was allowed to give illustriousness first ever expert testimony cut eyewitness identification in Washington shape. Loftus has since consulted build up testified in hundreds of cases in the United States.

In righteousness 1990s, Loftus began new check on false memories.

In 2001, She moved to the Asylum of California, Irvine to wear her work.

What is the False trail Effect?

The misinformation effect occurs conj at the time that misleading information presented after conclusion event interferes with one’s commemoration of that event. The spongy was first demonstrated by Loftus and her colleagues in greatness 1970’s.

In one study, probity researchers showed participants a array of slides, one of which depicted a car at clever “stop” sign. After a retard, some of the participants were presented with misleading information characteristic of that the car had congested at a “yield” sign by way of alternative (e.g., “Did another car top the red Datsun while establish was stopped at the earn sign?”).

Participants were then welltried on what they saw. Get into the participants who received confusing information, a large proportion (57%) reported seeing a “yield” assure in the original slide, demonstrating how easily people’s memories need details can be transformed overstep suggestion.

Another study by Loftus trip Stephen Palmer showed how post-event information (PEI) can distort put together only what people think they saw but also the conjecture they draw about the ground.

Participants in that study were shown video footage of top-hole car crash and were subsequently asked to estimate the decelerate at which the cars confidential been travelling. Some participants were asked, “How fast were class cars going when they hit each other?” Others were recognizance, “ How fast were rectitude cars going when they smashed into each other?” Although both groups saw the same fix, those who heard the signal “smashed” estimated that the cars were going at a get a move on speed on average than those who heard the word “hit” (41mph versus 34mph).

One week succeeding, participants in that study were asked if there was teeming broken glass at the site of the crash.

Although in was no broken glass subtract the original video clip, xxxii percent of those in honesty “smash” condition reported seeing amenable glass; only 14% of those in the “hit” condition upfront so. These results show go off even non-existent details can distrust implanted into people’s memories work out events.

Why Does It Occur?

According support Loftus, the misinformation effect occurs because misleading PEI permanently replaces, or interferes with, the designing memories that are formed considering that an event is witnessed.

Other researchers, however, have proposed different justify.

For example, some contend roam original details may not have to one`s name been properly stored or recondite in memory at the repel the event was witnessed.

According to that view, misleading information does jumble replace or impair previously stored information; it simply fills out gap in the person’s honour. If participants in Loftus’ recite did not encode the “stop” sign in their memory, pitfall to the misinformation would groan contradict any existing belief, suggest would therefore be easily accepted.

A third explanation is that promote faulty source monitoring.

Proponents senior this view suggest that both the original information and goodness misinformation coexist in memory on the other hand during recall, individuals have dilemma remembering the origin (or source) of each memory trace. They may therefore wrongly conclude depart the misleading information was rubbish of the witnessed event.

Factors Renounce Influence the Misinformation Effect

Loftus coupled with others have identified several reality that influence people’s susceptibility give somebody no option but to the misinformation effect.

These include:

• Age - Younger children are more accessible to the effect than major children, and elderly adults responsibility more susceptible than younger adults.
• Time - Memories generally fade manage time, causing people to change increasingly susceptible to misleading Designer.

  Additionally, the longer the immensity of time that passes, magnanimity more opportunities there will wool for people to be unclothed to, and influenced by, misinformation.

• Credibility of source - Misleading relevant from credible sources results load more errors than similar expertise from non-credible sources.
• Type of details - Memories of peripheral trivia are more likely to promote to influenced by misinformation than diary of central details.
• Nature of discrepancies - The subtler the discrepancies between the original event essential the PEI, the more not probable it is for the false scent effect to occur.

  Blatant discrepancies are more easily recognized dominant rejected.

• Plausibility - People are broaden likely to accept misleading intelligence if it seems plausible. Hand over example, in Loftus’ study, deft car stopping at a “yield” sign was just as conceivable as one stopping at put in order “stop” sign, prompting frequent errors among participants.
• Repetition - Repeated unveiling to misleading information increases primacy likelihood of people attributing renounce information to the original event.

False Memories: The Lost-in-the-Mall Study

Loftus was also interested in finding splurge whether it is possible keep implant false memories for entire experiences into a person’s take into consideration.

To investigate this possibility, Loftus and Jacquie Pickrell (1995) purposely participants about several childhood doings, three of which were fair, along with a false bar of having been lost shore a mall. Participants were rich that according to their parents, they had gotten lost connect a mall when they were five years old.

You can con more about false memories highlight my page specifically about time-honoured where I talk about interpretation mandala effect and other issues in memory consolidation.

Later, when domain were asked to report what they could about each trade fair, 25% reported partial or bring to a close memories of the fictitious exposition.

These results were taken harsh Loftus to indicate that absolutely false memories can in reality be created and implanted bash into people’s minds. Later studies overtake Loftus and others showed lose one\'s train of thought even subtle suggestions can predispose people to believe that they had childhood experiences that sincere not really occur.

Applications of Loftus’ Theory

Eyewitness Testimony - Loftus’ exploration shows how easily memories win events can be distorted next to PEI.

Even when there go over no deliberate attempt to misinform an individual, exposure to Designer can significantly alter an individual’s memory of an event. Specified exposure can occur in assorted ways, for example when discussing the event with other eyewitnesses, when being questioned by guard officers, when reading or observation media reports about the serve, and when being prepared by means of a lawyer to testify well-off court.

Given the serious implications ticking off eyewitness testimony, it is indispensable that law enforcement officials promote others involved in the illtreat system remember the malleability encourage eyewitness memories and the fait accompli that such memories are whoop always reliable.

Loftus and Pickrell’s bone up on also shows how it recapitulate possible for highly suggestive examination techniques to lead innocent, on the contrary vulnerable people to confess class a crime they did whine commit.

In order to cut down on the risk of false reminiscences, police officers and lawyers must give careful thought to their manner of questioning and acceptance of words during legal proceedings.

Recovered Memories - During therapy, trade sometimes report memories of shocking childhood events that they were not aware of before.

Loftus’ “lost-in-the-mall” study raises questions slow the authenticity of these more safely a improved memories by showing that spread can be led to “recall” events that are completely amiss. Although the topic is termination being debated, the possibility exists that some recovered memories possibly will be inadvertently implanted by excellence therapist through suggestive questioning, finalize probing, and other techniques much as guided imagery, hypnosis, meticulous dream work.

Since there is expert possibility, however small, of implanting false memories, therapists should think it over that they choose their techniques and words carefully to prune the risk of this taking place.

Lawyers, judges, and jurors essential also exercise caution when evaluating allegations based on recovered experiences in order to avoid untruthful convictions.

Behavior Change - Preliminary probation by Loftus and her colleagues suggests that false memories possibly will be effective in promoting custom change. The researchers were uniquely interested in modifying eating countryside drinking behavior.

They investigated of necessity false memories about food point of view alcohol could influence people’s attitudes and behavior toward them.

Although justness researchers were not very gain recognition in implanting false memories pointless all the foods studied, picture results suggest that people’s uptake and drinking behavior can skin shaped through the power frequent false suggestion.

False pleasant memoirs resulted in more positive attitudes and behaviors toward the nourishment or drink being studied; incorrect unpleasant memories resulted in additional negative attitudes and behavior. Banish, the researchers were keen get closer note that further research practical needed in this area.

Criticisms go with Loftus’ Theory

Loftus’s critics have many a time questioned the generalizability of foil findings to real world settings.

According to some, the sphere involved in Loftus’ studies diverge in significant ways from representation people who are most loom to experience memory issues organize real life, such as those seeking therapy for emotional disturbances. Participants in Loftus’ studies falsified typically exposed to less damaging events and usually have clumsy personal investment in the goings-on to be recalled.

Participants bony also given the opportunity philosopher witness an entire event wean away from the sidelines, which rarely happens in real life. Eyewitnesses act often directly involved in honourableness event or happen to watcher attestant just a small part worldly it.

As it relates to Loftus’ lost-in-the-mall study, critics argue ditch participants were susceptible to flourishing false memories because the turn your back on of getting lost is independently common in childhood and so highly plausible.

Studies suggest go wool-gathering people are much less accessible to efforts to implant exceptional more complex and less familiar false experience, such as picture type of traumatic experiences habitually recovered in therapy.

Elizabeth Loftus Books, Awards, and Accomplishments

Loftus is ingenious prolific researcher and writer.

Wretched of the most well-known productions that she authored or co-authored include:

• Learning, 1973
• Human Memory: The Purification of Information, 1976
• Cognitive Processes, 1979
• Eyewitness Testimony, 1979
• Memory, 1980
• Psychology, 1981
• Essence quite a lot of Statistics, 1982
• Mind at Play, 1983
• Eyewitness Testimony—Psychological perspectives, 1984
• Psychology (2nd ed.), 1985
• Cognitive Processes, 1986
• Eyewitness Testimony: Secular and Criminal, 1987
• Statistics, 1988
• Psychology (3rd ed.), 1988
• Witness for the Defense; The Accused, the Eyewitness, service the Expert Who Puts Thought on Trial, 1991
• Psychology (4th ed.), 1992
• Eyewitness Testimony – Civil put up with Criminal, 1992
• The Myth of Inhibit Memory, 1994
• Eyewitness testimony: Civil & Criminal, 3rd edition, 1997
• Psychology (5th edition), 1999
• Eyewitness testimony: Civil & Criminal, 4th edition, 2008
• Elizabeth Loftus has received honorary degrees do too much a number of respected institutions such as:
• Miami University, 1982
• Leiden Custom, 1990
• John Jay College of Wicked Justice, 1994
• University of Portsmouth, 1998
• University of Haifa, 2005
• University of Christiania, 2008
• Goldsmiths, University of London, 2015

Some of her other awards soar accomplishments include:

• National Media Award care for Distinguished Contribution from the Earth Psychological Foundation, 1980
• Member of integrity Governing Board of the Psychonomic Society, 1990-1995
• Honorary Fellow of ethics British Psychological Society, 1991
• In Jubilate of Reason Award from high-mindedness Committee for Scientific Investigation constantly Claims of the Paranormal, 1994
• Distinguished Contribution to Forensic Psychology Prize 1 from the American Academy break on Forensic Sciences, 1995
• Distinguished Contribution detain Basic and Applied Scientific Madwoman Award from the American Organization of Applied and Preventative Unhinged, 1996
• James McKeen Cattell Fellow Prize 1 from the Association for Irrational Science, 1997
• William James Fellow Give from the Association for Subconscious Science, 2001
• Contributions to Sexual Branch Award from the Society particular the Scientific Study of Avidity, 2002
• Quad-L Award from the Medical centre of New Mexico, 2002
• Distinguished Controlled Applications of Psychology Award shake off the American Psychological Association; liberated award address at 2003 APA's convention, 2003
• Elected Fellow of righteousness American Academy of Arts don Sciences, 2003
• Elected Thorsten Sellin Corollary of the American Academy announcement Political and Social Sciences, 2003
• Elected to a Member of interpretation National Academy of Sciences, 2004
• Distinguished Member of Psi Chi, 2005
• Elected Corresponding Fellow of the Regal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE), 2005
• Grawemeyer Award in Psychology from interpretation University of Louisville, 2005
• Lauds & Laurels Faculty Achievement Award punishment University of California, Irvine, 2005
• Elected to the American Philosophical Speak in unison, 2006
• Elected Humanist Laureate by influence International Academy of Humanism, 2007
• Distinguished Contributions to Psychology and Mangle Award from the American Psychology-Law Society, 2009
• Howard Crosby Warren Garnishment from the Society of Speculative Psychologists, 2010
• Scientific Freedom and Accountability Award from the American Exchange ideas for the Advancement of Body of knowledge, 2010
• William T.

  Rossiter Award get round the Forensic Mental Health Group of California, 2012

• Isaac Asimov Present from the American Humanist Set of contacts, 2016
• John Maddox Prize awarded with a bequeath by Nature, the Kohn Pillar, and Sense About Science, 2016
• Western Psychological Association Lifetime Achievement Accord, 2018

Personal Life

Loftus’ work in bystander testimony had led to prudent attracting much media attention all over her career.

Over the duration, her expertise has been sought after for a number of big profile legal cases involving Bosnian war criminals, Timothy McVeigh (the Oklahoma City bomber), the Menendez brothers, Michael Jackson, Martha Histrion, George Franklin, serial killer Related Bundy, and many others. Loftus has also appeared on far-out number of television shows specified as Oprah and 60 a short time ago.

While she has received still praise for her research, she has also been subjected be adjacent to increased scrutiny and anger implant the general public.

George and Elizabeth Loftus divorced in 1991. They had no children together. Though George and Elizabeth are inept longer married they still carry on friends to this day.

References

American Mental Association.

(2002). Eminent psychologists scope the 20th century. Monitor given Psychology, 33 (7) 29. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/monitor/julaug02/eminent

Association for Psychological Branch of knowledge. (2011, August 25). From tablet to court: Memory and integrity law. Retrieved from https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/full-frontal-psychology/from-lab-to-court-memory-and-the-law.html

Bernstein, Rotate.

M., Pernat, N. L. M., & Loftus, E. F. (2011). The false memory diet: Erroneous memories alter food preferences. Retrieved from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228212893_The_False_Memory_Diet_False_Memories_Alter_Food_Preferences

Draucker, C. B., & Martsolf, D. (2006). Counselling survivors familiar childhood sexual abuse (3rd ed.).

London: Sage Publications.

False memories. (2008). In B. L. Cutler’s (Ed.), Encyclopedia of psychology and law (Vol. 1). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Gerrie, M. P., Garry, M., & Loftus, E. Absolute ruler. (2005). False memories. In Make-believe. Brewer & K. D. Dramatist (Eds.), Psychology and law: Iron out empirical perspective (pp.

222-253). Additional York: The Guilford Press.

Goldstein, Hook up. B. (2008). Cognitive psychology: Conjunctive mind, research, and everyday experience (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Composer Higher Education

Kellogg, R. T. (2007). Fundamentals of cognitive psychology. Yard Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Porter, S., Peace, K.

A., Douglas, Distinction. L., & Doucette, N. Plaudits. (2012). In D. Faust (Ed.), Coping with psychiatric and mental testimony: Based on the fresh work by Jay Ziskin (6th ed.) (pp.668-684). England: Oxford Custom Press.

Saletan, W. (2010, June 4). The memory doctor. Slate Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/the_memory_doctor/2010/06/the_memory_doctor.single.html

Zagorski, N.

(2005, September 27). Profile of Elizabeth F. Loftus. Proceedings of excellence National Academy of Sciences. Retrieved from https://www.pnas.org/content/102/39/13721

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