Associate Professor, Director
Dr. Klemfuss’s research focuses on how children remember and report about their past experiences. She is particularly interested in how social contextual factors and children’s cognitive abilities separately and jointly impact the accuracy and content of their event narratives. She has published in top academic journals including Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Developmental Review, and Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, as well as in books and online resources.
Ph.D., Postdoctoral Scholar
Quincy is a postdoctoral scholar in the Child Narratives Lab. She studies reports of child maltreatment and has three primary foci: disclosure of child maltreatment allegations, best practices for interviewing child victims and witnesses, and juror decision making in child maltreatment cases.
Graduate Student
Georgia is a fourth-year graduate student in the Department of Psychological Science at the University of California, Irvine. Her research focuses on children's credibility as witnesses, exploring ways to elicit truthful and productive narratives about abuse and violence. She is also interested in understanding how laypersons perceive child witnesses in abuse cases. Prior to her graduate studies, Georgia earned a degree in Psychological and Behavioural Sciences from the University of Cambridge. Before joining UC Irvine, she served as Lab Director for Dr. Lyon's Child Interviewing Lab at the University of Southern California.
B.A., PBD, Graduate Student
Deborah is a graduate student in the Department of Psychological Science at the University of California, Irvine. She received her B.A. from California State University, Fullerton in Psychology with a minor in Spanish. Her research interests include cognitive development with a focus on sociocultural factors. Deborah started the University of California, Irvine's doctoral program in Fall 2022, continuing in the Child Narratives Lab!
M.A., Graduate Student
Laura is a graduate student in the Psychological Science Ph.D. program at the University of California, Irvine. She received her B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Virginia, and recently graduated from the University of California, Irvine, with an M.A. in Legal and Forensic Psychology. Her research interests center around how to elicit accurate disclosures from child witnesses and victims, children's memories of adverse experiences, and children's eyewitness capabilities.
Undergraduate, Lab Manager
Austin is a third-year undergraduate student double-majoring in Psychology and Business Economics at the University of California, Irvine. His interests include social psychology, developmental psychology, and organizational psychology. He is passionate about helping others thrive in the workplace and aspires to pursue a career in I/O psychology. Through the Child Narratives Lab, he hopes to gain valuable experience with research and data analytics as well as a better understanding of cognitive development in children.
Undergraduate, Lab Manager
Elaine is a second-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology, B.S. at the University of California, Irvine. Her interests are clinical psychology, counseling, mental health, and working with children. She hopes to pursue a degree in clinical psychology and explore the field of psychology. Through the Child Narratives lab, she hopes to gain research experience and develop further insight in children's cognitive development.
Undergraduate, Lab Manager
Kiara is a second-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology at the University of California, Irvine. She is interested in developmental and clinical psychology as well as the overlap with the legal system. After graduation, she aims to pursue a career in clinical psychology as a licensed therapist. She hopes to gain hands-on experience and contribute to the important research surrounding child development in the Child Narratives Lab.
Undergraduate
Alexis is an undergraduate student majoring in Psychological Science at the University of California, Irvine. Her interests are clinical psychology, developmental psychology and social psychology. After graduation she hopes to pursue a career in clinical psychology as a licensed therapist. Through the Child Narratives Lab, she hopes to obtain valuable research experience to prepare herself for the future and gain further insight into how a child's cognition affects their developmental process.
Undergraduate
Amanda is an undergraduate student at the University of California, Irvine, pursuing a double major in Psychological Science and Business Information Management. She is particularly interested in the intersection of technology, cognition, and child development, with a focus on behavior intervention strategies and the influence of parental factors. Through the Child Narratives Lab, Amanda aims to acquire meaningful research experience and deepen her understanding of cognitive development in children.
Postbaccalaureate Student
Aura currently graduated with a B.S. in Clinical Psychology from UC San Diego. She just joined the Post-Bacc Program in Psychological Science at UC Irvine. Her interests are clinical psychology, forensic psychology, and neuropsychology. She hopes to get into graduate school one day and pursue a Ph.D. in either forensic psychology or neuropsychology. Through the Child Narratives Lab, Aura hopes to gain more research experience to become a more competitive applicant for graduate school and to find out which area of psychology interests her more in order to choose a grad program.
Undergraduate
Ayumi is an undergraduate student double majoring in Psychological Science and Public Health Policy at University of California, Irvine. Her interests are clinical psychology, social psychology, and developmental psychology. In the future, she hopes to get her PsyD in Clinical Psychology and work with children. Ayumi joined the Child Narratives Lab in the hopes of learning research skills and more about the cognitive development of children.
Undergraduate
Citlali is an undergraduate Psychology major at California State University, Los Angeles. Her research interests lie at the intersection of psychology and law, including juror decision-making, eyewitness reliability, suggestibility, child interviewing practices, and recidivism among at-risk and incarcerated youth. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Psychology with a specialization in forensic/legal psychology and aspires to become a forensic psychologist, eventually serving as an expert witness. Through her work in the Child Narratives Lab this summer, she hopes to deepen her understanding of how children’s experiences and narratives can inform legal processes and to gain meaningful hands-on research experience in developmental forensic contexts.
Undergraduate
Deema is an undergraduate student majoring in Psychology at the University of California, Irvine. She is interested in clinical psychology and child development. Deema hopes to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology with a focus on working with children and families. Through the Child Narratives Lab, she hopes to gain valuable research experience and deepen her understanding of child development and mental health.
Undergraduate
Emmy is an undergraduate student majoring in Psychology at the University of California, Irvine. Her interests are developmental psychology, social psychology, and psychopathology. In the future she hopes to pursue her masters and continue working with children in a clinical setting.Through the Child Narratives Lab, she hopes to gain research experience and enhance her understanding of how the social world influences children's development.
Undergraduate
Emily is an undergraduate student majoring in Psychological science at the University of California, Irvine. Her interests include clinical psychology, law, and developmental psychology. She is especially interested in the effects of psychological trauma on children and various populations, such as within the military and the wrongly incarcerated. Through the Child Narratives Lab, Emily seeks to become more knowledgable in child psychology and help investigate the connections between children's memory and the real world applications in the judicial system. She aspires to pursue graduate school and learn more about how she can help and further research for those who have experienced trauma.
Undergraduate
Frances is an undergraduate student majoring in Psychological Science. She is passionate about understanding how childhood experiences shape adult behavior and studying child development. She is working to become a cognitive behavioral therapist for children. Through the Child Narratives Lab, Frances hopes to gain research experience and better understand psychological development and resilience in children.
Undergraduate
Hannah is a fourth-year Psychology major at the University of California, Irvine. Her interests include forensic, clinical, and developmental psychology, and she is particularly interested in the effects of adverse childhood experiences and cultural factors on psychological development. Through the Child Narratives Lab, Hannah seeks to gain experience investigating the interactions between psychology and law, specifically in understanding how psychological research can be applied to legal cases involving children. She ultimately aspires to pursue graduate studies in forensic or clinical psychology, with the goal of applying her studies in legal contexts to support vulnerable individuals within the justice system.
Undergraduate
Kaitlin is an undergraduate student double majoring in Psychological Science and Criminology, Law & Society at the University of California, Irvine. She is interested in developmental psychology and child forensic psychology. They hope to pursue a career in juvenile justice and detention center counseling. Through the Child Narratives Lab, she looks forward to becoming more familiar with data analysis and gain more research experience revolving around child cognition and the justice system.
Undergraduate
Khoa is an undergraduate student majoring in Psychological Sciences and minoring in Education at the University of California Irvine. His interests are education, child development, and school psychology. He hopes to pursue his education specialist degree focusing on school psychology. Through the Child Narratives Lab, he hopes to gain knowledge into the research side of psychology and gain valuable experience working with children and their families.
Doctoral Student
Kimia is a doctoral student majoring in Law and Psychology at Arizona State University. Her research interests are in attorney questioning, child/adolescent interviewing, and jury decision making, specifically in maltreatment and abuse cases involving youth. She hopes to pursue an academic position upon receiving her PhD. As a summer research fellow in the Child Narratives Lab, she hopes to gain a better understanding of conducting research with children and learn new methodological skills.
Undergraduate
Ryan is a undergraduate student majoring in Psychological Science at the University of California, Irvine. His interests include clinical psychology, abnormal psychology, and social psychology. After graduating, he plans on pursuing a career in clinical psychology or in the medical field. Through the Child Narratives Lab, Ryan is looking forward to gaining research experience and insight into child development through a psychological and legal lens.
Undergraduate
Roger is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology and minoring in Sociology at the University of California, Irvine. His interests include clinical, developmental, and social psychology. After graduating, he hopes to pursue a career in clinical psychology or social work. Through the Child Narratives Lab, Roger hopes to gain invaluable research experience, expand his understanding of the field, and develop skills that would help foster his academic journey.
Undergraduate
Sena is an undergraduate student majoring in Psychological Science at the University of California, Irvine. Her interests are in developmental psychology specifically regarding trauma and early-life adversity. She hopes to pursue a degree in either clinical or developmental psychology. Through the Child Narratives Lab, she hopes to better understand the relationship between environmental context and children's development.
Graduate
Tiffany is a recent graduate from the Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. Her interests are developmental psychology, mainly regarding how different factors (culture, stress, adversities) can influence a child's growth. She aims to attend graduate school and pursue a career in medicine. Through the Child Narratives Lab, Tiffany hopes to gain valuable research experience and broaden her understanding and perspective of child development.
Undergraduate
Valeria is an undergraduate student majoring in Psychology at the University of California, Irvine. Her interests include clinical psychology, neuropsychology, and developmental psychology. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical or neuropsychology, to work closely with children and understand how early experiences influence their emotional and cognitive development. Through the Child Narratives Lab, she hopes to develop practical research skills and contribute to ongoing work in memory, language, and social context.
Undergraduate
Xien is an undergraduate student double majoring in Psychological Science and Education Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. Her interests are developmental psychology, clinical psychology, and humanistic psychology. She hopes to pursue a career in counseling psychotherapy. Through the Child Narratives Lab, she hopes to gain practical research experience, learn from her peers, and explore the connections between child/adolescent development, psychology, and mental health.
Previous Graduate Lab Members
Allison Mugno, Ph.D., Current Assistant Professor, Huntingdon College
Alma Olaguez, Ph.D., Current Assistant Professor, Chapman University
Emily Slonecker, Ph.D., Current Assistant Professor, Cabrini University
Lianet Chao, M.S., Barry University, Current Teacher, Brigeprep Academy
Michelle Pena, M.A., Current Doctoral Student, Florida International University
Patrick J. Villalonga, B.A., Current Ph.D. Student, Florida International Unviersity
Veronica Alavarez, M.A.
Lauren Wyckoff, M.A.
Previous Post-Baccalaureate Lab Members
Daniel Wang, B.S., PBD in Psychological Science, Current Research Assistant, Yale University
Debbie Chung, B.A., PBD in Psychological Science
Deepali Dhruve, B.A., PBD in Psychological Science, Clinical Ph.D. Student Mississippi State
Jessica Barragan, B.A., PBD in Psychological Science, Current Ph.D. Student, Claremont McKenna
Joshua Dea, B.A., PBD in Psychological Science
Kimia Akhavein, B.A., PBD in Psychological Science, Developmental Psychology Ph.D. Student, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Khanam Virjee, B.A., PBD in Psychological Science
Evelyn (Shu Wei) Chang, B.S., PBD in Psychological Science
Previous Undergraduate Lab Members
Abigail Charime, B.A.
Abigail Diaz, B.A.
Aereonna Chea
Akaysia Hill, B.A., Master's Student in UCI's Masters in Legal and Forensic Psychology (MLFP) Program
Alexina Pilo, B.A., Master's Student, Boston College
Alessandra Contreras, B.A.
Alyssa Lewis, B.A.
Amy Bennett, B.A., Social, Health, and Organizational Psychology Graduate Program Student, Utrecht University
An Do, B.A.
Aneesah Akbar, B.S.
Armando Amador, B.A.
Arpita Noor, B.A.
Ashley Cieri, B.A.
Brandon Sanchez, B.A.
Ellis Choi
Caroline Cha, B.A., Lab Manager, Diversity in Development Lab, University of California, Santa Cruz
Cesar Jara, B.A.
Cindy Francesca, B.A.
Eduardo Florez, B.A., Clinical Master's Student, Pacific University
Eric Enriquez, B.A.
Fei Gao, B.A.
Giovanna Pires Dearaujo, B.A., Toddler Assistant Teacher, Spectrum Montessori
Giselle Velazquez, B.A., Counseling, Student Affairs, and College Counseling Master's Student, Fresno State University
Ismael Tijerino, B.A., Law Student, St. Thomas University School of Law
Jackie Cardenas, B.A.
Jennifer Lee Ma, B.A.
Jennifer Lopez, B.A., Social Work Master's Student, California State University Fullerton
Jennifer Mora, B.A.
Joie Annunziato, B.A.
Joseline Velarde, B.A.
Jose Gonzalez, B.A.
Kaitlin Hwangbo, B.A.
Katherine Hoogesteyn, B.A.
Kiari Esquibel, B.A., Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Student, Loma Linda University
Kimberly Karlsen, B.S.
Kristen Hollas, B.A., Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Student, Louisiana State University
Laterika Kelly, B.S.
Laura Acosta, B.A.
Lesley Vallecillos, B.A.
Liliana Vazquez, B.A.
Linda Fayelah Johnson, B.A.
Lisette Juarez, B.A.
Lorena Villegas
Madiana Vivar, B.A.
Maria C. Peñaranda, B.A.
Maria Wilson, B.A.
Marlon Chavez, B.A.
Megan Sabatino, B.A.
Melissa Halici, B.A.
Natasha Bailey, B.A., Full-Time Research Assistant, Chapman University
Neejla Fahimy, B.A.
Neiman Araque
Nicka Fallah, B.A., Social Work Master's Student, University of California Los Angeles
Olivia Mattera, B.A., Master's Student, University of Pittsburgh
Rachel Taffe, B.A., Psychology Ph.D. Student, New York University
Rebecca Cortizo, B.A.
Rebeca Ceballos, B.A.
Rhea Go, B.A.
Roman Dane Romero Sinisi, B.A.
Sarah Coscolluela, B.A.
Serena Nuber, B.A.
Sophia Birriel-Sanchez, B.A.
Sion Shuquor Habtemariam, B.A.
Solace Mills, B.A.
Tatiana Angrino, B.A.
Tina Nafir, B.A.
Victoria Dickerson, B.A.
Xiomara Pena, B.A., Clinical Master's Student, Southern Adventist University
Yelda Falahahwazi, B.A.
Yunhui (Rachel) Chen, B.A., Master's Student, Harvard University
Zara Allen, B.S.
Noelle Tresser, B.A.
Chloe Ford, B.A.
Valeria Porras, B.A.
Angela Huh, B.A.
Rebecca Aaron, B.A.
Nick Casis
Kaitlin Mae Fernanadez, B.A., Psychology Ph.D Student, University of California Berkeley
Leah Lopez, B.A.
Yesenia Garcia, B.A.
McKenna Raymond, B.A.
Jazmin Diaz, B.A.
Christine Shek, B.S.
Nalani Portillo, B.A.
Katherine Pappas, B.S.
Ghazal (Helena) Shamshiri, B.S.
Daisy Ma, B.S.
Vivian Wei
Kara Chizek
Nadia Suarez
Dhriti Grover
Tanner Phillips
Daria Karraby B.A.
Marleah Berry
Noor Dalati, B.A.
Katherine Waldman, B.A.
Jasmine Alcaraz, B.A.
Doris Deng, B.A.
Yufei Song
Donya Anvaripour, B.A.
Colleen Quigley, B.A.
Sheryll Estipona, B.A.
Lorena Yanez, B.A.
You can learn more about the department of Psychological Science at UC Irvine here.
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