The Malleability of Memory: A conversation With Elizabeth Loftus By Howard Burton Reviewed By Geoffrey W. Sutton This is an informative short overview of Elizabeth Loftus’ memory research presented as an interview. The informed host asks pertinent questions to which Loftus responds with answers about her memory findings as well as The personal context of how she got ideas and her need for protection because of death threats. Loftus’ work has had considerable impact on the justice system. Thanks to her laboratory studies and the work of many psychological scientists, we understand that our memories can contain errors brought about by responding to questions or rethinking about past events. In addition, we can create false memories, which appear real and true but are nevertheless false. False memories can be purposely created by someone else or by ourselves. At one point, her work was particularly challenging when some psychotherapists were encouraging patients to recall represse
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