--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The psychologist Elizabeth Loftus has…" description: "\"The psychologist Elizabeth Loftus has shown great courage, in the face of spiteful vested interests, in demonstrating how easy it is for people to conc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/richard-dawkins-115_courage_the-psychologist-elizabeth-loftus-has-sh_1803718.jpg" --- # The psychologist Elizabeth Loftus has shown great courage… ![“The psychologist Elizabeth Loftus has shown great courage, in the face of spiteful vested interests, in demonstrating how easy it is for people to concoct memories that are entirely false but which seem, to the victim, every bit as real as true memories.” quote by Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/richard-dawkins-115_courage_the-psychologist-elizabeth-loftus-has-sh_1803718.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/richard-dawkins-115_courage_the-psychologist-elizabeth-loftus-has-sh_1803718.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/richard-dawkins-115_courage_the-psychologist-elizabeth-loftus-has-sh_1803718.jpg) > “The psychologist Elizabeth Loftus has shown great courage, in the face of spiteful vested interests, in demonstrating how easy it is for people to concoct memories that are entirely false but which seem, to the victim, every bit as real as true memories.” [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Memory is malleable; false recollections can feel as vivid as true ones, especially under pressure. **In simple terms:** Memories can be fabricated. Key Takeaway Question your recollections. Themes memory truth psychology Mood cautious analytical Type scientific educational When to use this quote - legal testimony - therapy - education - media consumption Key Concepts cognitive bias suggestibility Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify a memory? - What safeguards protect against false memories? A Different Perspective Reliance on memory alone can be risky in critical decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Psychologist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychologist/) [Spiteful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiteful/) [Vested interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vested-interest/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) ## Related quotes > [We can't reliably distinguish true memories from false memories,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-loftus/we-can-t-reliably-distinguish-true-memories-from-false-memories/) [Elizabeth Loftus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-loftus/) > [“Two other highly vocal FMSF Advisory Board members are Dr Elizabeth Loftus and Professor Richard Ofshe. Loftus is a respected academic psychologist whose much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-sinason/two-other-highly-vocal-fmsf-advisory-board-members-are-dr-elizabeth/) [Valerie Sinason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-sinason/) > [When you make that crossover from life to real life, when you're not treated as a child anymore but as a man, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-williams/when-you-make-that-crossover-from-life-to-real-life-when-you-re-not/) [Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/) > [I learned long ago that in order to heal my wounds, I must have the courage to face up with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-learned-long-ago-that-in-order-to-heal-my-wounds-i-must-have-the/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“There is one thing I can say for sure about fear, and that is this: until you face it, it will always be out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-w-lord/there-is-one-thing-i-can-say-for-sure-about-fear-and-that-is-this/) [J. W. Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-w-lord/) > [You never know where your next scare is coming from. You've just gotta find the courage to face it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaggy/you-never-know-where-your-next-scare-is-coming-from-you-ve-just-gotta/) [Shaggy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaggy/) > [You have to have the courage to face the unexpected. This is the difference between people who do things and people who don't dare,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianna-angelopoulos-daskalaki/you-have-to-have-the-courage-to-face-the-unexpected-this-is-the/) [Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianna-angelopoulos-daskalaki/) > [“I believe it is the true mark of a man's character in how he faces his end – whether it be a chicken bone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-macuisdin/i-believe-it-is-the-true-mark-of-a-man-s-character-in-how-he-faces/) Sean MacUisdin > [“New opportunities abound if we but have the courage to face them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lescroart/new-opportunities-abound-if-we-but-have-the-courage-to-face-them/) [John Lescroart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lescroart/) > [You must have the courage to face what happened today and to live with it in your heart and to use the memory of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-must-have-the-courage-to-face-what-happened-today-and-to-live/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Have courage to face life cheerfully! Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-mamerto/have-courage-to-face-life-cheerfully-be-who-you-are-and-say-what-you/) [Edwin Mamerto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-mamerto/) > [The courage to face the trials and to bring a whole new body of possibilities into the field of interpreted experience for other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-courage-to-face-the-trials-and-to-bring-a-whole-new-body-of/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [Poetry takes courage because you have to face things and you try to articulate how you feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/poetry-takes-courage-because-you-have-to-face-things-and-you-try-to/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [Have the courage to face a difficulty lest it kick you harder than you bargained for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/have-the-courage-to-face-a-difficulty-lest-it-kick-you-harder-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It takes a lot of courage to face up to things you can't do because we feed ourselves so much denial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-saldana/it-takes-a-lot-of-courage-to-face-up-to-things-you-can-t-do-because/) [Zoe Saldana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-saldana/) ## More by Richard Dawkins > [At the deepest level, all living things that have ever been looked at have the same DNA code. And many of the same genes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/at-the-deepest-level-all-living-things-that-have-ever-been-looked-at/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The word 'mundane' has come to mean 'boring' and 'dull', and it really shouldn't - it should mean the opposite. Because it comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-word-mundane-has-come-to-mean-boring-and-dull-and-it-really/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [We animals are the most complicated things in the known universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-animals-are-the-most-complicated-things-in-the-known-universe/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“The fundamentalist Kurt Wise proclaims that all the evidence in the universe would not change his mind. The true scientist, however passionately he may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-fundamentalist-kurt-wise-proclaims-that-all-the-evidence-in-the/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“I have found it an amusing strategy, when asked whether I am an atheist, to point out that the questioner is also an atheist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-have-found-it-an-amusing-strategy-when-asked-whether-i-am-an/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Religions do make claims about the universe--the same kinds of claims that scientists make, except they're usually false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/religions-do-make-claims-about-the-universe-the-same-kinds-of-claims/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“much of the Bible is not systematically evil but just plain weird, as you would expect of a chaotically cobbled-together anthology of disjointed documents,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/much-of-the-bible-is-not-systematically-evil-but-just-plain-weird-as/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The recurrent laryngeal nerve - which runs from the head to the voice box - goes all the way down into the chest, loops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-recurrent-laryngeal-nerve-which-runs-from-the-head-to-the-voice/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The Roman Catholic Church is an institution for whose gains the phrase "ill-gotten" might have been specially invented. And of all its money-making rip-offs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-roman-catholic-church-is-an-institution-for-whose-gains-the/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Let us understand what our own selfish genes are up to because we may then at least have the chance to upset their designs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/let-us-understand-what-our-own-selfish-genes-are-up-to-because-we-may/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [What's going to happen when I die? I may be buried, or I may be cremated, I may give my body to science. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/what-s-going-to-happen-when-i-die-i-may-be-buried-or-i-may-be/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Or why it is acceptable to train fast runners and high jumpers but not to breed them. I can think of some answers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/or-why-it-is-acceptable-to-train-fast-runners-and-high-jumpers-but/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [We have seen that living things are too improbable and too beautifully 'designed' to have come into existence by chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-have-seen-that-living-things-are-too-improbable-and-too/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“We will not go quietly away. If in the future that requires violence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-will-not-go-quietly-away-if-in-the-future-that-requires-violence/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [It's a truly disgusting idea that the creator of the universe - capable of inventing the laws of physics and designing the evolutionary process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/it-s-a-truly-disgusting-idea-that-the-creator-of-the-universe-capable/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) [Explore all 1,239 Richard Dawkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) ## More Courage quotes > [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [“It takes tremendous courage, persistence, and perseverance to pursue your ultimate purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/it-takes-tremendous-courage-persistence-and-perseverance-to-pursue/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) James T. Conway > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“Tranquillity is courage in repose. It is a statical manifestation of valor, as daring deeds are a dynamical. A truly brave man is ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inazo-nitobe/tranquillity-is-courage-in-repose-it-is-a-statical-manifestation-of/) [Inazo Nitobe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inazo-nitobe/) > [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/) [Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/) > [“Of all the train, none escaped except Wamba, who showed upon the occasion much more courage than those who pretended to greater sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/of-all-the-train-none-escaped-except-wamba-who-showed-upon-the/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“There is nothing purer, braver, or more beautiful than the try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-armstrong/there-is-nothing-purer-braver-or-more-beautiful-than-the-try/) Kristen Armstrong > [“One theory on cannibals, of course, is that they eat parts of their slain enemies to benefit from that person's greatest assets - their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/one-theory-on-cannibals-of-course-is-that-they-eat-parts-of-their/) [Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/) > [It is a tragedy that we live in a world where physical courage is so common, and moral courage is so rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/it-is-a-tragedy-that-we-live-in-a-world-where-physical-courage-is-so/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [I have pictures with Morimoto where I'm all embarrassed and he's so serious, it took me 30 minutes to get up the courage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcela-valladolid/i-have-pictures-with-morimoto-where-i-m-all-embarrassed-and-he-s-so/) [Marcela Valladolid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcela-valladolid/) [Browse all 14,559 Courage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The psychologist Elizabeth Loftus has shown great courage, in the face of spiteful vested interests, in demonstrating how easy it is for people to concoct memories that are entirely false but which seem, to the victim, every bit as real as true memories.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Dawkins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-psychologist-elizabeth-loftus-has-shown-great-courage-in-the-face/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Courage" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-psychologist-elizabeth-loftus-has-shown-great-courage-in-the-face/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/richard-dawkins-115_courage_the-psychologist-elizabeth-loftus-has-sh_1803718.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/richard-dawkins-115_courage_the-psychologist-elizabeth-loftus-has-sh_1803718.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/richard-dawkins-115_courage_the-psychologist-elizabeth-loftus-has-sh_1803718.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The psychologist Elizabeth Loftus has shown great courage, in the face of spiteful vested interests, in…” — Richard Dawkins", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Richard Dawkins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The psychologist Elizabeth Loftus has shown...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-psychologist-elizabeth-loftus-has-shown-great-courage-in-the-face/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-psychologist-elizabeth-loftus-has-shown-great-courage-in-the-face/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```