Jeffrey Starns

Jeffrey Starns is an Associate Professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. He leads the Dynamic Memory Modeling Lab, focusing on computational models of memory and decision-making processes.

• Research Themes: Memory retrieval, illusory memories, evidence evaluation in rapid decisions, Bayesian reasoning training.
• Methodological Focus: Signal detection theory, diffusion models, response time analysis, statistical learning paradigms.
• Applications: Eyewitness identification, forensic evidence evaluation, educational interventions for probability comprehension.

His recent publications highlight interdisciplinary work connecting cognitive theory to legal practices and educational tools. Key areas include memory-accuracy trade-offs, emotional memory distortions, and optimizing lineup procedures through information theory. He also contributes to methodological reforms in cognitive research through blinded inference frameworks.

Current teaching initiatives emphasize Bayesian reasoning and memory systems. The lab's work bridges theoretical cognitive psychology with real-world applications in justice systems and educational technologies.