Karl G. D. Bailey

Karl G. D. Bailey is a Professor of Psychology in the School of Social & Behavioral Sciences at Andrews University, where he also serves as Program Director for the Psychology program and the undergraduate Behavioral Neuroscience Program. His work bridges cognitive psychology with religious studies, particularly focusing on Seventh-day Adventist practices and beliefs, while maintaining active research in psycholinguistics and visual cognition.

Dr. Bailey's educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology from Michigan State University (2004)
• M.A. in Psychology from Michigan State University (2002)
• B.Sc. in Psychology & Biology from Andrews University (1999)

Dr. Bailey's research spans cognitive psychology, psycholinguistics, and the intersection of religious belief with cognitive processes. His primary interests include psycholinguistics, comprehension of disfluent spontaneous speech, misinterpretation effects, language and the visual world, and visual attention as a measure of complex human cognition. More recently, he has focused on the relationship between religious belief and motivation, particularly studying the internalization of Sabbath keeping among Seventh-day Adventists and its positive relationship with well-being. He utilizes eye tracking technology in the Andrews University Cognitive Psychology Laboratory to study watercolor paintings and language comprehension, often collaborating with Herb Helm.

Analysis of Dr. Bailey's publication record (140 research outputs) reveals an evolving research trajectory that maintains cognitive science foundations while expanding into religious psychology contexts. His recent 2025 work shows increased focus on identity, religious practice, and educational technology, while still demonstrating methodological rigor from his cognitive science training. The consistent thread through his work is the application of precise experimental methods to understand complex human cognition in real-world contexts.

Dr. Bailey is deeply involved in undergraduate education, teaching diverse courses from cognitive psychology to the statistical programming language R. He actively mentors students through research projects and leads the department's annual trip to the Midwestern Psychological Association Annual Meeting. As Program Director for the Behavioral Neuroscience Program, he shapes curriculum and provides academic guidance to students pursuing this interdisciplinary field.

Dr. Bailey leads the Andrews University Cognitive Psychology Laboratory where current projects include the multi-year study of Sabbath keeping among Seventh-day Adventists and research on visual attention during language comprehension tasks. The lab provides hands-on research experience for undergraduate students and serves as a hub for methodological innovation in cognitive research at Andrews University.