Psychologist wins 2016 John Maddox Prize for changing the course of legal history

The John Maddox Prize is a joint initiative of the science journal Nature, the Kohn Foundation, and the charity Sense About Science to recognize individuals who have displayed courage in promoting science and evidence for public benefit. This year, the prestigious prize has been conferred upon leading cognitive psychologist Professor Elizabeth Loftus at the University of California, Irvine, whose research on human memory provided evidence that people can develop vivid memories of events that never occurred. “Her findings have altered the course of legal history,” states the announcement post.

Through her research, Loftus proved that memory can be unreliable and inaccurate. Not stopping at that, she went on to become a consultant in court cases and acted as an eye witness expert to help the wrongfully accused. Her demonstration of how hypnosis and therapy can be used to implant false memories created a stir as many victimized people took legal action against their doctors and family members. As a result, she had to endure death threats, lawsuits, and several attempts to get her fired from her position in the university. Despite this, she continued with her research and being involved in court cases. Sir Colin Blakemore, a Maddox Prize judge and a neuroscientist, adds that, “What makes her such a worthy winner of the John Maddox Prize is her determination to use the lessons from her research to challenge courtroom procedures and the unjustified claims of some psychotherapists.” Loftus will be felicitated in a ceremony and will be awarded a prize of £2000.

Congratulations to Professor Loftus!