Christine L. Ruva

Christine L. Ruva is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Florida (USF), Sarasota-Manatee Campus. She holds a Ph.D. (2001), M.A. (1997), and B.A. (1990) from the University of South Florida and the University of Tampa, respectively. Her research focuses on the intersection of psychology and law, particularly examining juror bias, pretrial publicity effects, jury deliberation dynamics, and implicit bias interventions in legal contexts. She actively contributes to academic leadership through roles such as Chair of Psychology at USFSM (2008–2020) and current membership in the Psychology Executive Committee, USF’s Center for Justice Research & Policy Leadership Team, and the Campus Chair of Psychology. Ruva teaches courses in Applied Cognitive Psychology, Child Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, and Developmental Psychology. Her work bridges cognitive and social psychology with legal systems, emphasizing real-world applications to improve trial outcomes and justice equity.

Her research has explored how implicit bias and external factors like media influence juror decisions, with studies published in journals like Psychology, Crime Law and Criminal Justice and Behavior. Her recent articles highlight innovative approaches to mitigating racial bias in juries and understanding deliberation processes in complex cases. Ruva’s scholarly contributions address critical issues in forensic psychology, aiming to enhance the fairness and accuracy of legal proceedings.