Applied Social Cognition and Law
Psychology and Law - Cognition/Cognitive Development
*Dr. Burd is currently recruiting graduate students*
Ph.D., Cornell University, 2018
M.A., Cornell University, 2016
M.S., Arizona State University, 2013
B.A., Hofstra University, 2010
Research Interests
- Social cognitive processes in legal decision making within:
- Police Officers
- Jurors
- Impact of extra-legal biases on perception, reasoning, and decision-making
Social Cognition and Law Lab
Academic Positions
Associate Professor, University of Wyoming, 2026-present
Assistant Professor, University of Wyoming, 2020-2026
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Iowa State University, 2018-2020
Teaching
Advanced Cognitive Development
Cognitive Psychology
Children and the Law
General Psychology
Judgment and Decision-making
Psychology and Law
Current Graduate Students:
Jaylan Aliev, M.S.
Jayla Edwards, M.S,
Representative Publications
Aliev, J. M., & Burd, K. A. (2026). The influence of victim physical maturity and victim-defendant age congruency
on mock juror decision-making in child sexual abuse trials. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 40(2), e70195.
Lindley, S., Burd, K. A., Freng, S., Grella, O. N., Aliev, J. M., & Anzovino, A. (2026). What’s in a name?
Public perceptions of sex worker professionals are differentially influenced by terminology.
The Journal of Sex Research, 1-10.
Grella, O. N. & Burd, K. A. (2026). The influence of victim blame statements and expert testimony on jury decision
making during cases of sexual assault. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 44(2), 281-295.
Burd, K. A., Hans, V. P., Phalen, H. P., Madon, S., Guyll, M., & Reed, K. (2025). Diverging decisions?
A comparison of jury verdict procedures. Behavioral Sciences, 15(12), 1666.
Grella, O. N. & Burd, K. A. (2025). Call it what it is: Does the framing of sex crimes impact jury decision making? Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 25(2), e70017.
Burd, K. A., Schweitzer, K., Smith, O. K. H., Flick, C., & Sturges, H. A. (2025). Attitudes towards
police legitimacy and mock grand juror indictment decisions in cases of lethal. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 35(3), 1-13.
Aliev, J. M., Burd, K. A., & Koch, M. K. (2025). The impact of victim physical maturity and judicial instruction
on jury decision making in child sexual abuse cases. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 39(3), 1-14.
Burd, K. A., Burrow, A. L., & Guyll, M. (2024). Pulling away from the trigger: The influence
of purpose in life and self-affirmation on decisions to shoot. Frontiers: Psychology, 3, 1-15.
Madon, S., Burd, K. A., & Guyll, M. (2024). Inconclusive forensic decisions disadvantage the innocent via
their downstream effects. Law and Human Behavior, 48(1), 33–49.
Guyll, M., Madon, S., Yang, Y., Burd, K. A., & Wells, G. L. (2023). Validity of forensic cartridge-case comparisons. The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(20), e2210428120.
Koch, M. K., Burd, K. A., & Mendel, J. (2023). Same crime, same time? Effects of maturation level, race, and
gender in ambiguous legal scenarios. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 37, 954-966.
Choi, S., Burd, K. A., & Choi, A. (2022). Looking hateworthy: An investigation of the relationship between
Chinese phenotypicality and COVID-19-related prejudice and discrimination. Race and Justice, 13(1).
