Conference Program and Schedule

Coffee and pastries will be served.

214CD Memorial Union

214CD Memorial Union

8:30–8:45 a.m.

The Effect of Acculturation on Equine Assisted Psychotherapy Satisfaction with Indigenous Populations

Reagan Alsbaugh and Justin Douglas McDonald (University of North Dakota)

Past research has suggested that equine-assisted psychotherapy may be an effective, culturally relevant treatment modality for Indigenous individuals with substance-use disorders. The literature also suggests that mental health outcomes may be mediated by an Indigenous individual’s level of acculturation. It was hypothesized that individuals who were traditional or bicultural would report higher levels of satisfaction with their experiences in equine therapy than those who are assimilated or marginal. There were 17 Native American participants who had completed at least 4 weeks of an equine-assisted therapy program who participated in the study. Of the participants, 8 were traditional and 9 were marginal. An independent samples t-test revealed no significant differences between the groups in terms of average satisfaction reported with the equine therapy services they received. Most participants felt generally positive about equine therapy and were satisfied with the equine therapy services they received. While practitioners of equine therapy should still be aware of cultural factors that may impact their work with Indigenous clients, the acculturation level of an individual client likely has little-to-no effect on how satisfied they will be with equine-assisted psychotherapy.

8:45–9 a.m.

Preliminary findings on the impact of victim age, gender, and age congruency with defendant on mock jurors in child sexual assault cases.

Alanna Allion and Kimberly Schweitzer (University of North Dakota)

The study examined the impact of victim age, victim-defendant age congruency, and victim gender on juror perceptions of child sexual assault crimes. Student participants (N = 148) read and listened to a brief trial excerpt, then gave individual and group verdicts. Data collection is ongoing, but preliminary analyses suggest that defendants in cases with older victims or victims closer in age to the defendant are more likely to be found not guilty compared to defendants in cases with younger victims or victims further in age from the defendant. Preliminary analyses also suggest an interaction between the victim’s and juror’s genders, such that the defendant is more likely to be found guilty when the juror is the same gender as the victim. Understanding factors that potentially bias how mock jurors perceive child sexual assault cases will inform interventions to mitigate biasing effects.

9–9:15 a.m.

Who Gets Committed? Public Attitudes Towards Civil Commitment, Substance Use, and Race

Meliyah Anderson-Tryon, Imani Thomas, and Gabriella Herrera (University of North Dakota)

Civil commitment is a legal process through which individuals experiencing severe mental illness may be involuntarily admitted for psychological treatment. Public perceptions of civil commitment remain underexamined and may contribute to stigma towards individuals with mental illness or who engage in substance use. This study used a vignette-based experimental design manipulating a hypothetical individual’s race and past substance use. Participants (N = 361) rated perceived dangerousness of the individual, justification of commitment (support for and recommended length of stay), and causal attributions. Results indicated race did not predict any dependent measure, and substance use did not influence dangerousness or justification outcomes. Mental health stigma was associated with higher internal causal attributions, supported length of stay, and dangerousness perceptions. The race manipulation and higher biases towards people of color interaction predicted justification of commitment. These findings highlight the role that individual differences play in shaping judgments related to civil commitment.

9:15–9:30 a.m.

Build-A-POTUS: Examining Ideal President Personality Profiles Using the PID-5-IRF

Kaden Bollinger (University of North Dakota), Meliyah Anderson-Tryon (University of North Dakota), Imani Thomas (University of North Dakota), Tiffany Russell (University of North Dakota), Jared Ruchensky (Loyola University Chicago), and Daniella Cash (Sam Houston State University)

Voters’ political orientation and ratings of presidential job performance appear related to voters’ and politicians’ personality traits. Voters seem attuned to presidential candidates’ personality traits, although there is limited understanding of what voters prefer in an ideal president. The current study examined how participant personality influenced participant ratings of what would be desirable personality constructs for their ideal president. Participants (N = 551) were recruited online. Participants completed the PID-5-IRF to assess the personality traits they would want in their ideal president. Participants completed the PID-5-BF to assess their own personality traits. Participant demographic data were also collected. Results demonstrated that participants who identified as Republican scored their ideal president significantly higher than Democrat-identifying participants on the antagonism domain, and the manipulativeness, callousness, deceitfulness, and grandiosity facets. The disinhibition domain was not statistically significant but Republican participants scored their ideal president significantly higher on the risk-taking facet than Democrat participants.

9:30–9:45 a.m.

ChatGPT use and abuse: A 3 year look at undergraduate perceptions and usage in the classroom

 Adelia C. Ehrlich, Christopher Groves, Luke Tacke, Jacob Flees, Michael Rogers, and Hannah Hillberg (University of North Dakota)

 The release of ChatGPT in November of 2022 marked a pivotal transition in how students use technology to learn. The ability for these models to process natural language inquiries and produce cogent, highly tailored answers has sparked serious concern among educators regarding its implications for academic integrity and the future of education. The current research surveyed (n = 845) college students in a seven-semester repeated cross-sectional design focused on students’ use of ChatGPT in the classroom and their views on the appropriateness of these actions. Results indicated that students’ awareness of ChatGPT rose rapidly following its release and cheating behavior (e.g., asking ChatGPT to write a final draft of a paper) increased over the course of data collection, with 33.9% of students reporting using the software sometimes to always to help with class assignments. Implications and future directions will be discussed.

9:45–10 a.m.

Variability in attitudes towards police legitimacy from 2016 to today: Preliminary results

Sophie K. Johnson, Kimberly Schweitzer, and Cassandra Flick (University of North Dakota)

Over the past two decades, public attention to excessive police use-of-force cases against people of color has increased (Crowl et al., 2025), yet these incidents have persisted, fueling the 2020 BLM nationwide protests and questions about police legitimacy (Fine et al., 2025). Legitimacy, defined as the belief that a system works appropriately and should be obeyed, reflects how the public views authority. When the system’s actions diverge from societal values, the public feels less obligated to comply and demands change (Tyler, 2006; Tyler & Jackson, 2014). Our study analyzed public views of police legitimacy from across the U.S., spanning 2016 to 2025, using the Attitudes Towards Police Legitimacy Scale (APLS; Provenza, 2021; Reynolds et al., 2018). We hypothesized that police legitimacy would decline nationally following the high-profile excessive police use-of-force cases in 2020. Results support this hypothesis; police legitimacy increased slightly from 2016 to 2018 and declined through 2023.

10–10:15 a.m.

Reframing Military Transition: A Life-Cycle Approach to Understanding Change

Maria Mollenhauer (Adler University)

Military transition is often understood solely as the process of separating from the military. However, this existing approach provides limited consideration for the experiences, values, and psychological processes that influence individuals long after military service ends. This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined motivation and fulfillment of women veterans across the Military Life Cycle. The integrated quantitative and qualitative findings identified patterns of formation, shaping, disruption, and stabilization influenced by individual experiences, environments, values, mechanisms, and psychological need fulfillment. The accumulation of time and perspective shapes how individuals interpret and integrate experiences, therefore, influencing motivation and stability throughout the Military Life Cycle. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of human experience, demonstrating that military transition is only one component of a much larger system of ongoing change.

10:15–10:30 a.m.

Social Perceptions of STDs in Nonsexual Relationships: An Attributional Approach

Gracynn Young and Joelle Ruthig (University of North Dakota)

Most research on the stigma associated with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) has focused on moral judgments, with less attention given to how stigma varies by relationship closeness and attributions about STD contraction. The current study examined these factors among 362 undergraduates, using hypothetical scenarios in which a close friend or acquaintance contracted a stable or unstable STD through personally controllable or uncontrollable means. Utilizing Attribution Theory, the study assessed stigma, responsibility, blame, pity, anger, anticipated avoidance, and willingness to help. Controlling for religious beliefs, MANCOVA results indicated greater willingness to help and less anticipated avoidance of close friends than acquaintances with an STD, regardless of controllability or stability. Participants also attributed more blame to targets whose contraction was personally controllable rather than uncontrollable, regardless of relationship closeness or stability. Findings inform efforts to reduce STD-related stigma and increase social support within nonsexual relationships.

10:30–10:45 a.m.

Predicting Healthy Eating Among College Students

Riley Pelowski and Joelle Ruthig (University of North Dakota)

The transition to college is a critical period for eating behaviors, as college students face barriers such as financial constraints and stress. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) provides a framework for examining how attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and behavioral intention predict healthy eating. This study will examine these TPB components as predictors of fruit and vegetable consumption among female-identifying college students and whether perceived stress moderates these relationships. Participants will be 200 female-identifying undergraduate students at the University of North Dakota who will complete surveys at two time points over two weeks. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three interventions targeting the benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption, subjective norms, PBC, or a control condition. We expect that TPB components will predict consumption, stress will weaken these relationships, and interventions will increase consumption compared to the control condition. Data collection is anticipated this Fall.

UND 214CD Memorial Union

Human Factors in Complex Operational Environments

Moderated by Dmitri Poltavski, Ph.D. 

Modern operational settings, from aviation and uncrewed systems control to spaceflight, healthcare, and industrial operations, place sustained and often unpredictable demands on human operators. This panel brings together researchers examining how people perceive, decide, and act under these conditions, with particular emphasis on the psychophysiological underpinnings of cognitive fatigue and mental workload. Panelists will discuss how neurophysiological and physiological measures (e.g., EEG, cardiac, ocular, and autonomic indices) can be used to assess operator state across complex cognitive tasks and real-world environments, and how these markers relate to performance, error, and resilience.

The discussion will also address human factors more broadly, including ergonomic design, human–automation interaction, and the cognitive and behavioral mechanisms that shape safety and effectiveness in high-demand work. By linking basic science with applied practice, the panel aims to identify emerging methods, open challenges, and opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration in optimizing human performance in complex systems.

Panelists

Lunch on your own at Memorial Union Restaurants.

UND 214AB Memorial Union

When Homework Has a Price Tag: The Hidden Consequences of Online Homework Systems

Olivia Ammon, Makenna Maples-Janisch, Anna Geffre, Hailey Ambuehl, and Alison Kelly (University of North Dakota)

Misread, Misdiagnosed, and Misunderstood: A Mixed-Methods Examination of OCD Symptom Presentation and Severity Among Black and African American Adults

Meliyah Anderson-Tryon and Vinessa Taylor (University of North Dakota)

Why Parents Permit Their Children to Play High-Risk Sports: An Exploratory Study

Claire Bailly, Richard Wise, and F. Richard Ferraro (University of North Dakota)

Perceptions of Mental Health Challenges and Impairment Associated with Caffeine Use in College Students

Sloan K. L. Bozosi and Andrea A. Zevenbergen (University of Wisconsin River Falls)

History Effects in Mock Jury Decision-Making

Gracen Breitbach, Grace Schroeder, Sophie Johnson, and Kimberly Schweitzer (University of North Dakota)

Ethical Leadership, Trust in Leaders, and Employee Job Satisfaction

Elizabeth Bridge and Sheila Hanson (University of North Dakota)

Beyond Borders: How Study Abroad shapes Cultural Humility in Psychology

Elaina L. Bright, Nate J. McDowell, Abi Rosenthal, Jenna N. Laurin, and Mary Dosch (Minnesota State University Moorhead)

Mental Health Interventions for Family Members of Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Scoping Review

Anna Bruinooge, Kyla Wiens, Frances Obike, and Leslie E. Roos (University of Manitoba)

Impression Formation and State-Trait Anxiety in a Laboratory Context

Maya L. Caillier, Danessa M. Williams, Kirstyn L. Bauer, and Alan R. King (University of North Dakota)

TikTok: The prognosis of ADHD symptom reporting

Ellissa F. Chaouch and Shelby L. Bandel (University of North Dakota)

Signals of Inclusion: Early Eminent Marginalized Psychologists as Identity Safety Cues in Psychology

Isabelle C. Clarke, Haley Duncan, Mary L. Hamilton, Adelyn K. Emter, and Alison E. Kelly (University of North Dakota)

Haptic Cue Frequency Across Successive Flight Patterns

Livia Dietrich, Daryn Daku, Ella Wittliff, Jessica van Bree, Dmitri Poltavski, and F. Richard Ferraro (University of North Dakota)

To Feel or Not to Feel: How Expressive Suppression Relates to Therapy Outcomes

Livia Dietrich, Alison Rollag, Kathryn Seibel, Drew Lenway, Aaron Cooper, Katherine Saldana, and Akorede Teriba (University of North Dakota)

Evidence for a Kinetic Mechanism Underlying Rapid Methamphetamine Induced Dopamine Transporter Downregulation

Gavin J. Fitzgerald, Madhur Shetty, Corey D. Kleinsasser, Roxanne A. Vaughan, and James D. Foster (University of North Dakota)

Exploring Juvenile Justice Across Generations: Continued Evaluation of an Interactive Workshop for Youth and Grandparents

Gabriela Herrera, Zoe Fischer, George Reillo, and Amanda D. Zelechoski (University of North Dakota)

Scrolling vs. Connecting: Active and Passive Social Media Engagement and Social Anxiety

Anna Kitagawa and Rochelle Bergstrom (Minnesota State University Moorhead)

An Investigation of the Effects of Chronic Sleep Reduction on Visuomotor Performance

Zachary Lemay, Jaxon Erie, and Dmitri Poltavski (University of North Dakota)

Does type of treatment predict probation outcomes? The role of outpatient substance abuse and mental health treatment in probation success and risk of recidivism

Rosemary Little, Kimberly Schweitzer, and Eric Wodahl (University of North Dakota)

Cognitive Cost of Disconnection: Effects of Loneliness and Social Isolation on Executive Function from a Therapeutic Perspective

Rylee Lunnie (University of North Dakota)

Feasibility and Acceptability of LightBEAM: A Qualitative Examination of a Digital Parenting and Mental Health Intervention

Celina Mendez, Bernadette Kombo, Oluwafeyisayo Dosumu, Leslie Roos, and Mandy Archibald (University of Manitoba)

Exploring the Effects of Chronic Sleep Reduction on Mental Fatigue and Sustained Attention

Shelby Middaugh, Ethel Li, Kylie Torkelson, Jaxon Erie, and Dmitri Poltavski  (University of North Dakota)

Big-5 trait differentiations between and within groups of firearm owners and non-owners

Lauren L. Rahier, Emily B. Sorem, Taylor R. Rodriguez, Joye C. Anestis, and Shelby L. Bandel (University of North Dakota)

Cultural Identification & Preferences in Treatment for American Indian Adults with Substance Use Disorder

Megan Saboo and Justin Douglas McDonald (University of North Dakota)

Competence Matters: Counseling Competencies and Client Perception

Katherine Saldana, Alison Rollag, Aaron Cooper, Drew Lenway, Kathryn Seibel,  Livia Dietrich, and Akorede Teriba (University of North Dakota)

Creativity and the Memory Blocking Effect

Anna Stish, Nevaeh Davidson, Kaela Traugott, Ndemacheh Nojang, and Christine Malone (Minnesota State University Moorhead)

Beyond the Facts: Does Explaining Why We Fear Infection Make HIV Education More Effective? A Pilot Study

Sofia Thibes, Myla Daly, and Bev Fredborg (University of Winnipeg)

Cue Validity Moderates Haptic Feedback Effects in Simulated Flight

Jessica van Bree, Dmitri Poltavski, Thomas Petros, and Nicholas Wilson (University of North Dakota)

Incorporating Intersectionality, Resilience, and Cultural Responsiveness with American Indian & Alaska Native Clients

Taysha Curry, Reagan Alsbaugh, Megan Saboo, Emma Smith, and JP Legerski (University of North Dakota)

Jurors’ Perceptions of Transgender Sexual Assault Victims: Examining the Mediating Effects of Victim Blame and Victim Credibility on Verdict Decisions

Haley Duncan (University of North Dakota)

Problematic Pornography Use in Men: Association with Loneliness and Depression – A Meta-Analysis

Tanner Eide (University of Mary)

Influence of Pre-Encounter Dispatch Information on Public Perceptions of Police Use of Force Encounters

Emma Kilian and Cassandra Flick (University of North Dakota)

Acceptance of Self and Child: Mindful Parenting, Child-rearing, and positive youth outcomes

Shawn Sullivan (University of North Dakota)

The Association Between Crime on Television and Criminal Justice Ideologies

Vinessa Taylor (University of North Dakota)

Masculine Dominance Index: A Brief Screener of Hostile Masculinity's

Imani J. Thomas, Hadley R. McCartin, Tiffany D. Russell, Kaden A. Bollinger, Jordan A. Jaeger, Daniella K. Cash, and Alan R. King (University of North Dakota)

Achieving Mental Toughness: The Relationship Between Scholarship Status, Year in Sport, and Sport Satisfaction

Nate Amusan, Cassidy Brown, Aaron Cooper, Kathryn Ellingson, Andrew Lenway, Henry Rott, Amber Peterson, and Akorede Teriba (University of North Dakota)

EEG Indices of Engagement and Workload in the Recollection of Narrative and Expository Prose

Nate Amusan, Utkarsh Gupta, James Owens, Dmitri Poltavski, and Thomas Petros (University of North Dakota)

UND 214CD Memorial Union

2–2:12 p.m.

Oculomotor Symptoms, Not Attentiveness, Predict Sustained Attention: A Sham-Controlled Trial of Left-Parietal Transcranial Photobiomodulation

Utkarsh Gupta, Dmitri Poltavski, Stella Sande, Brooklyn Morris, and Thomas Petros (University of North Dakota)

Transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) is a noninvasive technique proposed to enhance cortical metabolism and cognition. Previous pharmacological stimulation studies have shown that lower-attentiveness individuals benefit most. Convergence and accommodative insufficiency can mimic attentional deficits. We tested whether a single 12-minute session of 1070-nm tPBM over the left parietal cortex improves sustained attention and working memory. In total, 106 healthy adults, classified as low or high in attentiveness, were randomly assigned to active or sham stimulation. They completed the Conners' CPT-II and an N-back task. Oculomotor symptoms were measured with the Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey (CISS). Active tPBM did not reliably outperform sham. Oculomotor symptoms most consistently predicted performance. Symptomatic participants (CISS ≥ 21) made more commission errors, responded more impulsively, and showed a larger vigilance decrement. Controlling for CISS revealed tentative attentiveness-dependent tPBM effects, which did not survive correction. Findings inform prospective future research on stimulation dose, target selection, and optometric screening.

2:12–2:24 p.m.

EEG Indices of Engagement and Workload in the Recollection of Narrative and Expository Prose

James Owens, Utkarsh Gupta, Dmitri Poltavski, and Thomas Petros (University of North Dakota)

Learning through auditory communication is a ubiquitous practice. Typically, recall of this information is evaluated with an examination. How well individuals retain such information depends on factors, such as how the material is delivered and the type of information delivered (narrative or facts). Thirty-nine participants listened to two expository prose and two narrative prose. During listening and recall phases the following EEG indices were computed: the engagement index (EI), frontal engagement index (fEI), task load index (TLI), and frontal theta (FT). All four indices increased between listening to recollection. Information recalled was scored on low, medium, and high idea units. Analysis demonstrated listening-phase EI negatively predicted recall of both prose types; FT during listening phase negatively predicted recall of narrative information. No indices predicted recall during recall phase. Narrative recall exceeded expository recall for high idea units. The results demonstrate that engagement during listening is more consequential than during recall.

2:24–2:36 p.m.

Circadian Modulation of Hypoxic Vulnerability: Time-of-Day Effects on Cognitive Performance at Moderate Altitude

Thomas Petros, Dmitri Poltavski, and Kyle Bernhardt (University of North Dakota)

Objective: This study examined whether circadian phase modulates the cognitive effects of moderate altitude hypoxia and suggested possible physiological mechanisms underlying task-specific vulnerability. Background: Cognitive deficits at moderate altitudes (12,500 ft) have been documented but remain variable across studies. Circadian fluctuations in cerebral perfusion and cortisol may critically determine whether hypoxic stress exceeds the brain's compensatory capacity, yet the interaction between circadian phase and altitude has not been examined. Method: Sixty-nine student pilots (79.7% male) completed a dual task (manual visuomotor tracking with simulated ATC radio call recall) during a single acute exposure of up to 45 minutes at 2,500 or 12,500 ft in a hypobaric chamber at 09:00 or 15:00; tracking data were analyzable for 44 participants. Chronotype was assessed using the Horne–Östberg questionnaire. Results: Visuomotor tracking showed circadian advantages during afternoon testing regardless of altitude, including a 14% improvement for challenging tracking conditions during the second 15 minutes. Working memory for ATC radio calls was significantly impaired only during afternoon testing at 12,500 ft; morning testing showed no altitude-related working memory decrement. Conclusion: Circadian phase modulates hypoxic vulnerability in a task-specific manner that cannot be accounted for by individual differences in the cognitive abilities and circadian preferences of participants. Afternoon convergence of reduced cerebral perfusion and declining cortisol may selectively impair prefrontal-dependent working memory under moderate hypoxic stress, while sensorimotor functions remain intact or enhanced. These findings demonstrate that acute altitude exposures carry meaningfully different cognitive risk profiles depending on time of day.

2:36–2:48 p.m.

How Many Is One Too Many? Assessing Workload and Engagement in One-To-Many UAV Operations

Dmitri Poltavski, Travis Nelson, James Owens, Jessica van Bree, Manvel Beaver, Hannah Lewis, Jacob Jantzen, Dylan Roy, Luke Gietzen, Robert Breslin, and F. Richard Ferraro  (University of North Dakota)

Single-operator control of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in one-to-many (OTM) operations imposes escalating cognitive demands, yet the point at which these demands exceed operator capacity remains unclear. Thirty-one novice operators completed the Mission Planning and Management Task (MPMT), a multi-task UAV combat simulation modeled on the Multi-Attribute Task Battery II, at three difficulty levels that varied drone speed, battery depletion, communication frequency, and target density. EEG-derived cognitive state indices, pupil diameter, subjective workload, and behavioral performance were recorded. Linear mixed-effects models showed that the number of targets operators encountered and engaged roughly tripled from low to high difficulty, while targeting accuracy was unchanged and the proportion of available targets operators covered remained stable. Difficulty significantly modulated three EEG spectral ratio indices, increasing the Engagement Index and decreasing the Mental Workload and Short-Term Memory Load Indices, but explained less than 1% of their variance. No significant differences were observed in subjective workload or pupil diameter. Within the difficulty range examined, increasing demand did not degrade performance; the threshold at which OTM UAV operations exceed novice operator capacity remains to be identified.

2:48–3 p.m.

Attentional Prioritization of Peri-Hand and Peri-Cursor Space

Griffin Newell and Laura Thomas (North Dakota State University)

Observers experience attentional prioritization within peri-hand space that may facilitate grasping actions. In desktop computer environments, mouse cursors are the primary effector observers use to “grasp” digital objects, which could introduce similar action-driven attentional biases in peri-cursor space. Participants (n = 296) completed a Posner cueing task in which they rested their hand or positioned a mouse cursor next to one of two target locations. Replicating and extending upon previous work showing attentional prioritization in action-relevant space, we found participants were facilitated in detecting targets appearing near their hands and near the cursor. However, this was only true when users had control over the cursor, suggesting a link between actual control and pre-motor spatial attention. Our results support the notion users may represent human-computer and real-world object interactions analogously.

Student Awardees

Gracen Breitbach - Outstanding Undergraduate Psychology Student

Awarded to an undergraduate psychology major who demonstrates outstanding overall performance, taking into consideration cumulative grade point average, psychology grade point average, number of credits in psychology courses, other academic pursuits (e.g. other majors, minors, or certificates), the quantity and quality of research activities, and the quantity and quality of service efforts.

Isabelle Clarke - Outstanding Undergraduate Research

Awarded to undergraduate psychology majors serving as research assistants or conducting independent research (including honors thesis) during the previous academic year. Applications are reviewed based on research activity, taking into consideration quantity, quality, and conceptual contributions. 

Stephanie Yarnell - Outstanding Undergraduate Service

Awarded to undergraduate psychology majors engaged in service activities during the previous academic year. Service is broadly defined to include activities in support of other students, the department, the university, and/or the community. Applications are reviewed based on service efforts, taking into consideration both the quality and quantity of service activities. 

Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology Inductees

• Ella Bagne
• Emma Besch
• Molly Carpentier
• Isabelle Clarke
• Livia Dietrich
• Anna Geffre
• Emma Guzman
• Elizabeth Heinert
• Lakelyn Jonell
• Julianne Kadrmas
• Ava Lopez
• Faith Magstadt
• Hannah Nyhus
• Danessa Williams
• Sophie Wolff
• Stephanie Yarnell 

Dr. Daniel Murrie

Professor
Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

Can forensic experts reliably reach the same conclusions about the same case? Can they remain objective when retained by one side in adversarial legal proceedings? Or does the outcome of an evaluation depend on which expert was assigned the case? Are experts in adversarial court proceedings biased by the side that retained them?

Dr. Murrie will consider whether the well-documented problems in the forensic sciences extend to the fields of forensic psychology and psychiatry. In particular, he will review the emerging research on expert differences and expert biases—particularly among forensic psychologists and psychiatrists—in “real world” forensic evaluations. Finally, he will consider some of the basic cognitive psychology that explains some of these problems, and may point to potential solutions.

About Dr. Murrie

Dr. Murrie serves as the Director of the Institute of Law, Psychiatry and Public Policy (ILPPP) and as a Professor in the University of Virginia Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences. He oversees the UVA Forensic Clinic within ILPPP, the UVA postdoctoral fellowship in forensic psychology, and ILPPP's state-university partnership to provide training programs in forensic evaluation. Dr. Murrie's research interests span a range of topics such as understanding and reducing bias and unreliability in forensic mental health evaluations, improving forensic service systems, including competence evaluation, restoration services, and diversion efforts.