Person responsible for the study: Elizabeth Loftus, an American cognitive psychologist 

Background information: Lotus was a prominent researcher in the study of eyewitness memory and their ability to recollect events, especially in legal situations. The "Lost in the Mall" study, referenced here, was conducted to determine and even question the reliability of eyewitness testimonies. 

Methodology: In this study, Loftus and her colleagues inserted a fake memory in the participants by telling them four stories about their childhood: three confirmed and one false (the false one was about being lost in a shopping mall). With the help of family members, who added supportive details, researchers could influence the participants to recall the fake event, even though it never happened. 

Results: About 25% of the participants in the study remembered the fake event, sometimes even adding in their extra details. 

Significance of results/legacy/recent relevance: These findings showed how human memory can be easily reconstructed and distorted, leading to increased skepticism of eyewitness testimonies regularly brought forward in courtroom settings. 

How to improve the experiment: Improvements in the study's design could be made by expanding the sample population to include a more diverse range of participants. This would allow researchers to understand better how cultural, racial, and other differences can impact memory recollection.