Judgment and Reasoning Lab

Who We Are

We are a group of Fresno State psychology students, led by faculty member Paul Price, who conduct original research on judgment and reasoning. We have been the recipients of two National Science Foundation grants and have published our research in several scientific journals, including the Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, Judgment and Decision Making, the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, and the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Lab alumni have gone to graduate school focusing on psychological research at the City University of New York, Michigan State, North Carolina State, San Diego State, San Jose State, Texas A&M, SUNY Albany, UC Irvine, UC Merced, the University of Arizona, the University of Illinois, the University of Iowa, the University of Memphis, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Toledo. Many more have earned graduate degrees in counseling, school psychology, and related fields from Fresno State and other universities around California and beyond.

What We Do

We conduct research on judgment, reasoning, and other topics that catch our attention (e.g., attention). We do this in part to make our own small contribution to science. But our work also provides an opportunity for Fresno State students to learn how to conduct scientific research, to develop technical and critical thinking skills, and to gain experience that can enhance graduate school and job applications. Students read and discuss published research, help design new studies, and collect and analyze data. Advanced students often have an opportunity to present research or contribute to publications.

Potential Lab Members

The typical Lab member is a Fresno State psychology major or minor who has completed (or is close to completing) Psych 42 (introductory statistics) and Psych 144 (research methods) and who has an interest in and appreciation for scientific psychological research. Non-psych majors who are interested in connecting judgment and reasoning research to their own fields (e.g., business, economics, health) are also welcome. But everyone must be able to commit to a one-hour weekly lab meeting along with another hour or two per week for other research related activities. Please email Dr. Price for more information.