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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

Elizabeth F. Loftus

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