Summarize the points Loftus makes regarding false memories and their potential effects

her TED talk, researcher and psychologist Elizabeth Loftus describes reliability issues with our memories and some of the potential ramifications these may have in the criminal justice system. Watch Loftus’s TED talk at: https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_loftus_the_fic…. (If you have trouble opening the video please follow these instructions. First, you will highlight the link. Then you will right click on your mouse or touchpad. Lastly, you will select “open link”. This will take you directly to the video).
Summarize the points Loftus makes regarding false memories and their potential effects. What ethical questions does she raise in the video?
What is the difference between a recovered and a false memory? How can we know the difference between these two types of memories?
SAMPLE ANSWER
In her TED talk, Elizabeth Loftus highlights the unreliability of our memories and the potential consequences this can have in the criminal justice system. She discusses how memories can be distorted or manipulated, leading to the creation of false memories that can have a significant impact on a person’s life. Loftus raises important ethical questions about the use of eyewitness testimony and the potential for false memories to lead to wrongful convictions.
Loftus also distinguishes between recovered memories and false memories. Recovered memories are those that have been repressed or forgotten and later recalled with the help of therapy or other means. False memories, on the other hand, are memories that have been fabricated or distorted through suggestion, leading a person to believe something that did not actually happen.
It can be difficult to distinguish between recovered and false memories, as both can feel equally real to the person recalling them. However, there are some key differences, such as the level of detail and the level of confidence the person has in the memory. In cases where memories are being used as evidence in legal proceedings, it is important to carefully evaluate the reliability of the memories and consider the potential for false memories to have influenced the recollection of events.