Russ Espinoza, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology

Teaching interests: Psychology of Law, Research Methods, Social Psychology, Personality, & the Psychology of Prejudice and Discrimination

Research interests: Prejudice in the Legal System, Juror Decision Making, Cognition and Stereotyping. My primary line of research examines prejudice in the legal system that exists based on socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity and how jurors are influenced by these extra-legal factors. Low SES, minority defendants are found more culpable, found guilty more often, and given lengthier sentences in comparison to other status majority defendants for similar crime commissions. My second line of research examines the underlying cognitive associations to stereotypes and prejudice towards specific groups and their treatment in media, healthcare, education, business, etc.    

Brief biography: I earned my Ph.D. at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln (#1 Psychology and Law program in the U.S.A.) in Social Psychology specializing in Prejudice in the Legal System. In addition, I earned a minor in Quantitative Methodology. I joined the Psychology Department at CSUF in the Fall of 2007 where I have taught many courses in Forensic (Legal) Psychology, Prejudice and Discrimination, Research methods, and more mainstream classes like Social and Personality Psychology. In addition to Psychology, I am a wicked rock and roll guitar player and song writer!