Rate My Professor Linda Henkel

Linda Henkel, PhD, is a Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences in the Psychology department at Fairfield University, appointed in September 2025 as the Elizabeth DeCamp McInerny Chair in the Health Sciences. As a cognitive psychologist, she specializes in research on memory and cognition across the lifespan, investigating predictable patterns of memory errors and distortions in everyday settings. Her work examines how taking and viewing photographs shapes memory, revealing that photo-taking during experiences like museum tours impairs recall of visual details relative to mere observation, while actively engaging with photos through organizing, printing, sharing, and reminiscing enhances memory accessibility, vividness, and emotional well-being, particularly among older adults. Key publications include "Point-and-shoot memories: The influence of taking photos on memory for a museum tour" (Psychological Science, 2014), "Photograph-induced memory errors: When photographs make people claim they have done things they haven’t" (Applied Cognitive Psychology, 2011), "Memory distortions in coerced false confessions: A source monitoring framework analysis" (Applied Cognitive Psychology, 2004), "Erroneous memories arising from repeated attempts to remember" (Journal of Memory and Language, 2004), and "Aging and source monitoring: Cognitive processes and neuropsychological correlates" (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 1998). Additional studies address collaborative remembering, nonprobative photos fostering false beliefs about the past (Memory & Cognition, 2016), and auditory cues creating false action memories (Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 2015).