Elizabeth F. Loftus
Distinguished Professor of Psychological Science; Criminology, Law & Society; Cognitive Science; and Law
Joint appointment in Psychological Science
Criminology, Law & Society
Cognitive Sciences
School of Law

Expertise:
Psychology and law, human memory, eyewitness testimony, courtroom procedure
Background:
Prof. Elizabeth Loftus is one of the nation's leading experts on memory. She has been an expert witness or consultant in hundreds of cases, including the McMartin preschool molestation case, the trial of Oliver North, the trial of the officers accused in the Rodney King beating, and litigation involving Michael Jackson, Martha Stewart, Scooter Libby and the Duke University Lacrosse players.
(Log in to view full course descriptions in the UCI Law Course Catalog)
- Loftus, E.F., Thinking or Acting Like A Lawyer? What We Don’t Know About Legal Education and Are Afraid to Ask in The State of Legal Education Research: Then and Now and Tomorrow (eds. Ben Golder et al.) (2019).
- Loftus, E.F. & Greenspan, R.L. (2017) If I’m certain, is it true? Accuracy and Confidence in eyewitness memory. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 18, 1-2
- Loftus, E.F. (2017) Eavesdropping on Memory. Annual Review of Psychology, 68, 1-18.>
- Grady, R.H., Butler, B.J. & Loftus, E.F. (2016) What should happen after an officer-involved shooting? Memory concerns in police reporting procedures. Journal of Applied Research in Memory & Cognition, 5, 246-251.>
- Loftus, E. F. (2016) Illusions of Memory. Skeptical Inquirer, 40, 22-23. (Honorary Doctorate Acceptance Speech)
- Daily Journal: "Boy Scout file release: the benefits...and harms" (PDF)
- The New York Times Opinion: "The Risk of Ill-Informed Juries" (PDF)
- The Wall Street Journal book review: "In the Memory Palace"
- Goodman-Delahunty, J., Granhag, P.A., Hartwig, M. & Loftus, E.F. (2010) "INSIGHTFUL OR WISHFUL: Lawyers’ Ability to Predict Case Outcomes" (PDF). Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, Vol. 16, No. 2, 133-157
- Science magazine: "Bad Theories Can Harm Victims" (PDF)
- Bernstein, D.M. & Loftus, E.F. (2009) The consequences of false memories for food preferences and choices. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 4, 135-139
- Peterson, T., Kaasa, S.,O. & Loftus, E.F. (2009). Me too! : Social Modeling Influences on Early Autobiographical Memories. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 23, 267-277
- Prof. Loftus' Scholarly Papers on SSRN
- March 29, 2019:
Speaker, Jeeves Lecture, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Scotland, UK - Oct. 29, 2018:
Speaker, “The Fiction of Memory,” Neuroscience Research Day 2018, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA - April 27, 2018:
Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree and Distinguished Speaker, “Eavesdropping on Memory,” Western Psychological Association Annual Convention, Portland, OR - April 12, 2018:
Keynote Speaker, “The Fiction of Memory,” Houston Bar Association 2018 Criminal/Appellate Bench Bar Conference, Houston, TX - Feb. 24, 2018:
Speaker, “Illusions of Memory,” The Science of Learning and Its Applications Symposium, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA
- July 13, 2022: Prof. Loftus received honorary doctorate from Australian National University "for exceptional contributions to psychological science, pioneering applications to the administration of justice andher unwavering pursuit of scientific freedom."
- 2020: International Union of Psychological Science Lifetime Career Award
- 2020: American Philosophical Society, 2020 Patrick Suppes Prize
- 2018: Western Psychological Association, Lifetime Achievement Award
- November 2016: Professor Loftus awarded 2016 John Maddox Prize for Standing up for Science
- 2015: Doctor of Social Sciences Honoris Causa, Goldsmiths College, University of London
- 2013: Professor Loftus is awarded the Gold Medal Award for Life Achievement in the Science of Psychology by the American Psychological Foundation for her research of memory distortion and false memories
- July 2012: Professor Loftus is awarded the UCI Medal, UC Irvine's most prestigious honor, for her groundbreaking memory research
- Skeptical Inquirer - Prof. Elizabeth Loftus delivers commencement address at Australian National University: "On Memory and Bravery: When You Can Be Screamed at and Honored on the Same Day"
- EL PAÍS: Prof. Loftus featured in Spain's leading newspaper
- University of Virginia Podcast: Prof. Loftus discusses her work on the psychology of law
- Le Monde: Prof. Loftus featured in a profile on her research on the malleability of memories
- Popular Mechanics: Prof. Loftus highlighted for fallibility of memory research
- UCSD News: Prof. Loftus co-writes new research paper on eyewitness testimony, memory, and wrongful convictions
- Ideas Roadshow Podcast: LISTEN: Prof. Loftus discusses the malleability of memory
- PetaPixel: Prof. Loftus quoted on how taking pictures can impact memory
- Mente y Ciencia: Prof. Loftus Q&A interview on the fallibility of memory
- Inverse: Prof. Loftus highlighted for “lost in a mall” study on the fallibility of memory
- NZZ: Q&A interview with Prof. Loftus on her research and past trial testimony on the malleability of memory
- Digital Camera: Prof. Loftus quoted on how photographs can impact memory
- Inverse: Prof. Loftus highlighted for research on the fallibility of memory
- NPR: Prof. Loftus comments on how taking photos can affect memory
- Sepideh Danaei: Prof. Loftus featured in cover story on her research on memory in Persian magazine
- New York Times Magazine: Prof. Loftus quoted on research into eyewitness testimony
- International Union of Psychological Science: Prof. Loftus to receive 2020 IUPsyS Lifetime Career Award
- Tedium: Prof. Loftus highlighted for research and book on psychology of video games
- KPCC’s Air Talk: LISTEN: Prof. Loftus discusses new study involving planting false memories and her research on the malleability of memory
- New Yorker: Prof. Loftus profiled on her life and research on the malleability of memory
- The Davis Vanguard: Prof. Loftus highlighted for new research exploring the confidence-accuracy relationship for eyewitness testimony
- Wrongful Conviction: Junk Science Podcast: LISTEN: Prof. Loftus discusses her research into the malleability of memory and eyewitness testimony
- USA Today: Prof. Loftus comments on how misinformation can contaminate beliefs and memories
- Elemental: Prof. Loftus quoted on her research into the fallibility of memory
- BYU Radio: LISTEN: Prof. Loftus discusses false memory research and misinformation
- RNZ: LISTEN: Prof. Loftus discusses her research on the fallibility of memory
- LiveScience: Prof. Loftus quoted on new study on impact of cannabis on memory
- CNN: Prof. Loftus quoted on new study on cannabis use and false memories
- Los Angeles Times: Prof. Loftus discusses memory research during testimony at Weinstein trial
- Reuters: Prof. Loftus testifies on how memory can be distorted
- USA Today: Prof. Loftus testifies on memory at Weinstein trial
- Press Telegram: Prof. Loftus quoted on factors that can affect eyewitness memory
- Radio National's Big Ideas: LISTEN: Prof. Loftus discusses the fiction of memory
- The Mercury News: Prof. Loftus comments on challenges of investigating eyewitness accounts, how memory can be contaminated
- Player FM: LISTEN: Prof. Loftus discusses her research on the fallibility of memory
- The Guardian: Prof. Loftus quoted on fallibility of memory, use of eyewitness testimony in court
- Australian National University: Prof. Loftus receives Lifetime Achievement Award, gives sold-out lecture at ANU
- Economic Times: Study conducted by Prof. Loftus finds exposure to fake news can create false memories
- Rolling Stone: Prof. Loftus comments on new study finding fake news can lead to false memories
- Fox News: Prof. Loftus quoted on how fake news can lead to false memories
- Association for Psychological Science: Prof. Loftus discusses psychological effects of fake news
- de Volkskrant: Prof. Loftus Q&A on the fallibility of memory
- UCI Law: Prof. Loftus awarded Ulysses Medal from University College Dublin
- New Scientist: Prof. Loftus Q&A unpacks her research on the fallibility of human memory
- NJ Star-Ledger: Prof. Loftus comments on reliability of memory, accusations against Kavanaugh
- New York Times: Prof. Loftus quoted on sexual assault accusations against Kavanaugh
- BBC World Service: LISTEN: Prof. Loftus discusses her research on eyewitness accounts and false memories
- Psychology Today: Prof. Loftus says "once memories are embedded, people resist changing their minds"
- CBC Radio: LISTEN: Prof. Loftus comments on "Jane Doe case." repressed memories
- Knowable: Prof. Loftus makes the case against memories as evidence
- Popular Science: Prof. Loftus discusses how your memories are less accurate than you think
- The Atlantic: Prof. Loftus on the science of memory in sexual assault allegations
- Stanford Law Review: Prof. Loftus, pioneered study of framing within the legal context
- Wired: The work of Prof. Loftus profiled in article on false memories and false confessions
- Penn Live: Prof. Loftus testifies in Jerry Sandusky case
- Science: Prof. Loftus participates on AAAS conference panel discussing science and the legal system
- Skeptical Inquirer: Letter nominating Elizabeth Loftus for the 2016 John Maddox Prize published
- The Sydney Morning Herald: Prof. Loftus' work profiled
- Broadly.: Prof. Loftus quoted on women in therapy, false memories and false confessions
- Assocation for Psychological Science: Prof. Loftus recognized for winning 2016 John Maddox Prize
- Forbes India: Financial Times profile of Prof. Loftus listed among “10 most interesting pieces that we read this week”
- The Rocky Mountain Collegian: Presentation by “Famous Memory Psychologist Elizabeth Loftus” recapped
- Daily Journal: Prof. Loftus writes about SB 813, which aims to eliminate CA statute of limitations on sex crimes
- CBC Radio: Podcast: Prof. Loftus interviewed on how not getting enough sleep can result in false confessions
- The Christian Science Monitor: Prof. Loftus describes act of remembering as more akin to putting puzzle pieces together than retrieving video
- PBS/Nova: Video profile of Prof. Loftus and her 40 years exploring how unreliable our memory is
- Smithsonian: Prof. Loftus says investigators may get bad information interrogating innocent, sleepy subjects
- TIME: Prof. Loftus explains study of sleep deprivation: “people admit to ... horrendous things”
- New York Times: Prof. Loftus quoted re: serious consequences of sleeplessness and false confessions
- The Conversation: Prof. Loftus co-authors article on sleep deprivation as a factor in false confession
- Skeptical Inquirer: Prof. Loftus’ acceptance speech for honorary doctorate at Goldsmiths College published (PDF)
- Vulture: Prof. Loftus quoted re: people interpreting visualizations as actual memories