UTEP Legal Psychology Ph.D. Program

Laboratories &
Research Infrastructure

	Cognitive Development & Juvenile Justice Laboratory Director: Matthew H. Scullin, Ph.D. Dr. Scullin’s laboratory (800 sq. ft.) in Vowell Hall houses 3 rooms. It includes one large observation room with one-way mirrors, an observation area, and two graduate student offices. There are two main streams of basic and applied developmental research in the laboratory. The first focuses on cognitive and social development in childhood, especially in relation to the development of cognitive control and school readiness. The second focuses on juvenile justice issues, including factors that affect children’s eyewitness memory and evaluation of culpability in juvenile delinquents.
	Eyewitness Identification Research Laboratory Director: Roy S. Malpass, Ph.D. Dr. Malpass's laboratory (816 sq. ft.) consists of four rooms for data collection, data analysis and development of research materials. There are fourteen computer workstations (Macs and PCs), six dedicated to data collection. The Eyewitness Lab is engaged in research on eyewitness memory and identification processes, and related areas of facial recognition. To learn more about Dr. Malpass's laboratory please visit http://eyewitness.utep.edu.
	Forensic Interviewing & Suggestibility Laboratory Director: James M. Wood, Ph.D. Dr. Wood's laboratory (1,200 sq. ft.) is comprised of four rooms: a faculty office, a graduate student office, and two rooms for data collection and analysis. Research in this laboratory focuses on forensic issues, particularly topics concerning memory, suggestibility, and interviewing in legal contexts.
	Institute for the Study of Judicial Processes Director: Harmon M. Hosch, Ph.D. Dr. Hosch's laboratory (1,440 sq. ft.) is equipped with five cubicles, all connected by one-way mirrors, a large observation room with one-way mirrors, an intercom system to these rooms, a waiting area, and a large storage room for video-taping equipment. Research in this laboratory includes experiments on the impact on jurors’ decisions of the relationship between an alibi corroborator and a defendant, the similarity of appearance between an alibi corroborator and a defendant, and factors that influence the outcome of jury deliberations. To learn more about Dr. Hosch's laboratory please visit http://clhb.utep.edu.
	Investigative Interviewing Research Laboratory Director: Christian A. Meissner, Ph.D. Dr. Meissner's laboratory (950 sq. ft.) involves two separate facilities. The Social Decision-Making Laboratory includes two interview rooms equipped with state-of-the-art digital video equipment for conducting research on interviewing and interrogation. The Applied Cognition Laboratory includes three individual computerized testing rooms for conducting research on basic and applied aspects of memory, including eyewitness identification, person descriptions, and false memories. Graduate workstations and conference rooms are also available in both labs and in an adjacent room. For more information on Dr. Meissner's laboratory, please visit http://iilab.utep.edu.
	Mental Health & Criminal Justice Laboratory Director: Jennifer Eno Louden, Ph.D. Dr. Eno Louden's lab (369 sq. feet) includes two rooms: a larger room for meetings and undergraduate workspace, and a smaller room that serves as data storage and graduate student workspace. The lab currently houses two Mac computers. The lab focuses on topics related to mental health and criminal justice.
	Social Cognition & Virtual Reality Laboratory Director: Michael A. Zárate, Ph.D. Dr. Zárate's laboratory (189 sq. ft.) is a 3 room lab with one large room and two offices for graduate students. The lab also includes a computer lab that houses four computers to run RT studies. The labs are well equipped with new computers, printers, eye-tracking, and virtual reality equipment. Students working in the lab are focused on how various social cognitive factors influence stereotyping and prejudice, particularly as it relates to the border population.
	Social Neuroscience Laboratory Director: Steve L. Crites, Jr., Ph.D. Dr. Crites’ laboratory (350 sq. ft.) is composed of three rooms – one large room that contains computers and specialized equipment for recording electrical brain activity and two smaller chambers where participants can be isolated from the noise and equipment while engaged in research. Research in this lab uses electrical brain activity to make inferences about cognitive processes. Two offices for graduate students are adjacent to this laboratory space.
	Vinson Computer Laboratory This laboratory (available to all faculty and graduate students) houses 20 personal computers, networked to a series of laser printers. The lab is available for faculty and graduate students to run computer aided research. The computers were recently replaced in 2008 and are well equipped to run all relevant experimental, data analysis, and word processing software.