The Truth Behind Memory

Abstract

Have you ever thought back to your childhood and reminisced on all the good times you had going on family vacations or playing in the backyard friends? Sure you have, we all have. But have you ever considered that all those memories may not even be accurate? In the poster presentation to come, you will be introduced to a well-respected and lauded cognitive psychologist named Elizabeth Loftus. Though Loftus has suffered much heartache and devastation in her lifetime, she faced those challenges head-on and climbed to success in the field of cognitive psychology. Loftus became a driving force within the field of psychology and provided much information regarding: false, repressed and recovered memories. With her research, she was able to prove undoubtedly that false memories could be implanted, as well as recovered. This discovery also led her to significant findings with regard to eyewitness testimony, which resulted in many people being exonerated from their sentences. Loftus’ journey to success was not without its roadblocks, but Loftus’ persistence in seeking the truth about memory led her down many different avenues. Now, her research is more prevalent than ever, many courtrooms and psychologist are still looking to her research to find answers pertaining to the implications of memory accuracy.