My work dives into how psychology and the legal world intersect.
One of my main areas of focus is understanding false confessions. I explore why people sometimes confess to crimes they didn’t commit, using experimental designs. I also investigate ways to improve investigative interviewing techniques. This research is funded by a VENI grant from the Dutch Research Council.
In addition to false confessions, I study how biases and shortcuts in our thinking, known as heuristics, influence judicial decision-making. My goal is to find ways to reduce these biases and create a fairer justice system.
I’m also passionate about memory detection. My research in this area uses psychophysiological and behavioral measures to distinguish between innocent and guilty knowledge.
I am the co-founder of the European Registry of Exonerations, focusing on learning from wrongful convictions to prevent future ones. Currently, I am working on a systematic review about how people perceive exonerated individuals and in 2024, I was awarded the KNAW Early Career Partnership Grant for an interdisciplinary expert meeting on life after exoneration.
My approach emphasizes open science, ensuring that my research is transparent, reproducible, and accessible. If you’re interested in the details, check out my Google Scholar profile for more on my work and publications.
