Psychology professor earns international recognition

The Association for Psychological Science has named Lindsay Malloy, assistant professor of psychology, a “Rising Star.”

Malloy is one of only 10 psychologists from the United States, France, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia honored this month by the association’s Rising Star program, which recognizes up-and-coming researchers.

Her current research focuses on children’s and adolescents’ disclosure of negative experiences – what do children say about the past and why, as well as what factors influence whether and how a child discloses abuse. She also is examining children’s abilities to serve as eyewitnesses in the United States’ legal system – a system designed for adults but one that sees millions of children giving testimony each year.

As a professor, Malloy teaches an upper division undergraduate course in legal psychology. She examines how psychology plays a role in the legal system including eyewitness testimony from children and adults using current real-life cases. In the spring, she will be teaching a new seminar to Ph.D. students as a special topics course studying witnesses, victims and suspects – the first time this is done in one seminar.

Currently, she is working on a National Institutes of Health grant with William Pelham, director of FIU’s Center for Children and Families, as a mentor, along with Larry Hawk of State University of New York at Buffalo and Michael Lamb of University of Cambridge, U.K.

“It’s a project on the event memory and suggestibility of children with ADHD,” Malloy said. “Children with ADHD are at greater risk for child maltreatment and to come into contact with the legal system yet we understand very little about their ability to accurately recount personal experiences. This is important because most suspected maltreatment victims are interviewed about their experiences, and these interviews may set into motion a variety of legal or social service interventions.”

Malloy, who joined the faculty at FIU in January 2010, said she chose FIU because it is one of the few universities in the country that offers a Ph.D. in legal psychology. But it was the opportunity for collaboration, the outstanding research, and FIU’s vision of being Worlds Ahead that sealed the deal, she said.

“Now I get to ask fascinating questions about developmental psychology, combine these questions with my interest in law, and potentially benefit the lives of vulnerable children,” Malloy said.

Malloy’s love for academia was evident at an early age. She wore “I Heart School” barrettes and would sneak flashlights into her room to study after bedtime. She went on to study at the University of California, Irvine, graduated with a doctoral degree in Developmental Psychology and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.