结论
伊丽莎白·罗夫特斯被公认为记忆重构及目击者证词研究领域的卓越先导。她在这方面的研究还在继续进行。多年来,她的研究结果成功地经受住了各种挑战,并且得到了该领域其他研究者的支持。
在当今的心理学和法学专业领域内,人们普遍相信在目击者的证词中会掺杂很多来自不同渠道的错误信息,例如混入一些该事件发生后的信息。正是由于罗夫特斯和其他研究者的一系列研究,目击者的证词在审判中的作用和可靠性才受到了严重质疑。罗夫特斯本人就是最为人们器重的作证专家之一(通常是为被告作辩护)。她的职责是用事实来提醒陪审团成员,在评估目击者的证词时必须保持谨慎。
正像罗夫特斯在她最近的著作中写到的:“我研究记忆,同时我是一个怀疑论者。”(Loftus & Ketcham,1994,P.7)或许,我们都应该如此。
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