Research

Dr. Henkel and her research team examine memory and cognition across the lifespan. How is it that people remember events that never happened, how do they forget events that did happen, and why and when do they misremember details about what they experienced or how they experienced it? The errors and distortions that occur in people's memories are not random, but follow predictable patterns based on cognitive principles. Dr. Henkel's research examines memory in young and older adults across a variety of everyday life settings. For instance, recent work has examined how taking and viewing photos shapes what we remember, and how nursing home residents can improve their memory accessibility and mental health by thinking about and sharing their recollections with others.  Other work is relevant to criminal justice and the law, such as her research on eyewitness accuracy and on false confessions.

Undergraduates interested in gaining valuable research experience can volunteer or earn course credit for Supervised Research (PY 295) and Independent Research (PY 395) under Dr. Henkel's mentorship.  See information about these courses under the "Teaching" tab. If interested, contact her at:  lhenkel@fairfield.edu

If you are interested in participating as a research subject in some of her studies, contact her at:  lhenkel@fairfield.edu