What We Do
Our Research
Applied Attention & Memory
We conduct research in the laboratory and the field with adults, children, and law enforcement. Our research concerns attention and memory including how they works and how they often times do not work. We are especially interested in the role of psychology in the legal system.
Our Research
Attention & Memory in the Legal System
We study conditions under which attention and memory is likely to be inaccurate and ways of making it more accurate. Some of this research concerns children’s memory. In addition, we do research on the role of attention and memory in searching for missing and wanted persons. We primarily do this in the context of a prospective memory framework called prospective person memory.
The CALM lab
Our mission!
Our lab mission is to better understand the role of attention and memory in various applied contexts (so far, we’ve been focused exclusively on the legal system)! We aim to ask questions and provide answers that can directly improve people’s lives. Disseminating this work is an essential component of the laboratory.
The CALM lab
We're a team!
The lab is a community where everyone who is interested in contributing to our mission is welcome. We are committed to viewing each member as a whole person whose life exists inside and outside of the lab. We are especially interested in recruiting new members and collaborators who are interested in contributing to our mission while being a great community team-player. We are committed to being a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming community. Excellence can only be achieved via a diverse & supported team.
Projects
Here is some of our current work!
Meta-Cognition & Eyewitnesses
What impact do witnesses beliefs about memory have on memory and confidence?
In collaboration with Jim Lampinen, we've received a 670k grant from the National Science Foundation to study the relationship between eyewitness confidence and accuracy across a range of variables using virtual reality. We are testing the pristine conditions hypothesis under a variety of witnessing conditions via exhibits hosted in partnership with the Discovery Gateway children's museum and the Leonardo science and innovation museum.
Vigilance & Missing Persons
How well do citizens sight missing persons when the search has their full attention?
Research on how citizens search for missing persons has focused on how people search when they are multi-tasking (e.g., searching while doing another unrelated task). However, many people volunteer for search parties. The CALM lab and Dr. Jack Arnal investigated the role of vigilance in searching for missing people. In addition, we studied how police search for missing people.
Eyetracking Attention in Legal Settings
When does attention fail in persons searches or when a person is a witness to a crime?
Dr. Kara Moore recently received funding for a computer mounted eyetracker! We plan to use this tool to take our research to the next level to understand attentional mechanisms at play in eyewitness memory and persons searches. For example, can eye movements predict whether a person will make a sighting of a missing person?
Perceptions of Eyewitness Memory
How do people perceive factors that could impact an eyewitness' memory?
Misinformation can harm eyewitness' memories; it can be encountered from a variety of sources (e.g., other eyewitneseses, investigators, news). We are working to understand how people perceive the impacts of misinformation from these sources on people's memories.
Misinformation Modality
Does the delivery mechanism of misinformation impact how people think about it?
People can use meta-cognition (thinking about thoughts) to avoid accepting misinformation in memory. The way that misinformation is delivered (e.g., statements, questions) may impact people's ability to use meta-cognition to protect their memory. We are assessing self-reported responses to memory questions to determine if meta-cognitive protections vary by misinformation modality.
Get Involved
If you are interested in becoming a member of the lab or participating in our research, please contact Dr. Kara Moore at kara.moore@utah.edu
Prospective Graduate Students
Earn a Ph.D. in Cognitive and Neural Sciences!
We especially encourage students from underrepresented or marginalized groups to apply! People who identify as women, people of color, and/or persons from less socially privileged backgrounds are less likely to apply for positions unless they meet all qualifications. I would encourage you to apply even if you do not meet every qualification listed for graduate admission. If you are unsure, please feel free to contact me to discuss your application.
Applicants who are great fits for the lab are interested in spending a lot of their working hours for 5+ years focusing on researching the topics that we study in the lab. I'm most interested in recruiting a motivated, passionate, hard-working student. Beyond this, it is a bonus if students already have research experience in psychology, research methods skills, statistical analysis skills, computing skills (e.g., basic computing, database software, coding/programming), methodological skills (e.g., basic research, eye tracking, EEG, etc.), writing skills, and/or speaking skills. Please see the FAQ document I wrote for prospective students for more information.
If you would like to apply but anticipate logistical barriers (e.g., cost, travel, requirements) please contact Dr. Moore to discuss. Applications are due on December 1st annually. Follow the link below to learn about applying to the University of Utah Psychology PhD Program
Prospective Undergraduate Students
Gain valuable research experience for your resume!
Our lab accepts undergraduate students as research assistants so that they may gain hands-on research experience for course credit or on a volunteer basis.
Undergraduate research assistants (RAs) are an integral part of the CALM lab. RAs learn more about attention and memory in the legal system and help conduct research that is disseminated worldwide to other scientists, policy makers, and the legal system. RAs often have the opportunity to be involved in the lab in an advanced way (e.g., professional presentations, data analysis, independent project, etc.).
Working in the CALM lab is great for building your resume to be more competitive for jobs, for graduate school, law school, or medical school.
Who should apply?
Students who are extremely interested in spending at least a few hours a week working on the topics that we study. We especially encourage students from underrepresented or marginalized groups to apply! We prefer applicants who have a 3.0 GPA or higher and who have some exposure to psychological research through their classes. We value all of the following: coursework in Psychology (especially Cognitive or Legal Psychology) or related fields (e.g., Sociology, Criminology, etc.), coursework or experience in research methods &/or statistics, coding skills, computer programming skills, writing skills, and speaking skills. That being said, no advanced skill or knowledge is necessary. You'll get hands-on training for all the things you'll do in the lab. It's rare for an applicant to have these valued qualities.
Students must commit to being an RA in the lab for at least two semesters due to the intensive training involved in being an RA. In addition, students must be able to attend weekly lab meetings.
Lab hours are scheduled around your obligations. RAs typically work 5-10 hours a week in the lab. We are as flexible and inclusive as possible to allow anyone who is interested in participate in the lab, so don't hesitate to reach out if you're interested but need accommodations to be involved!
If you'd like to join the lab, fill out the application below and email it to Dr. Kara Moore. Dr. Moore typically interviews RAs in October-November for the Spring semester and March-August for the Fall semester, but she accepts applications at any time.
Participate!
Contribute to scientific discovery by participating in our studies!
If you are interested in being notified of future opportunities to participate in research please email Dr. Kara Moore.
Collaborate with the CALM lab!
We are open to collaborations with researchers, lawyers, police officers, and other professionals. If you are interested in collaborating contact PI Kara Moore.
We are particularly interested in issues related to missing persons, wanted persons, false memories, meta-cognition, memory in education, and memory and health.
Resources & Social Media
Resources
For undergraduates
Connect with us on social media!
@moore_psych
@moorepsych.bsky.social
Almost all of our publications are available on ResearchGate.
Reach out if you need a copy of a paper!
