Cognitive Bias in Forensic Science
In her compelling presentation, Cognitive Bias in Forensic Science, Dr. Adele Quigley-McBride pulls back the curtain on one of the most insidious threats to the integrity of forensic evidence: the unconscious mental shortcuts and expectations that shape how experts interpret data. Drawing on cutting-edge psychological research and real-world forensic examples, Dr. Quigley-McBride explains how seemingly neutral decisions—like fingerprint matches, forensic pathology conclusions, or crime scene reconstructions—can be shaped by biases stemming from irrelevant background information, prior case exposure, or institutional norms. The session offers a clear, structured look at various types of bias (confirmation, contextual, hindsight, and more) and how they silently influence forensic conclusions and testimony.
This program is essential viewing for any criminal defense attorney who wants to challenge forensic findings more effectively. Dr. Quigley-McBride not only identifies the psychological vulnerabilities in forensic decision-making but also outlines practical, research-backed safeguards that can be proposed in court—from blind verification procedures to documentation protocols like Linear Sequential Unmasking-Expanded (LSU-E). Lawyers who watch this program will gain a deeper understanding of the human factors behind forensic errors and learn how to spot flawed reasoning and overconfidence in expert testimony. Whether you’re preparing for cross-examination or filing a motion to exclude biased analysis, this training arms you with the scientific insight needed to push back against unreliable forensic evidence.
Dr. Adele Quigley-McBride received a Fulbright Science and Innovation Award which she used to complete a Ph.D. in Psychology specializing in the causes of error and bias in legally-relevant contexts. After receiving her Ph.D. in 2020, she began work as a postdoctoral researcher at the Wilson Center for Science and Justice at Duke Law working alongside Prof. Brandon Garrett. Dr. Quigley-McBride is now an Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department at Simon Fraser University in BC, Canada. She teaches undergraduate and graduate level Psychology and Law courses and continues her program of research assessing the causes of, and solutions to, error and bias in the criminal legal system. Dr. Quigley-McBride reviews for and publishes in peer-reviewed forensic science and psychology academic journals. She has presented her Human Factors research at conferences held by the American Academy of Forensic Science, American Psychology-Law Society, Internation Association for Identification, Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition. She also has been invited to present her research to the Association of Forensic Quality Assurance Managers, American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors, and the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Quigley-McBride is dedicated to closing the gap between research and practice, demonstrated by her role as Vice-Chair of the OSAC Human Factors Committee and as the Human Factors Representative on the OSAC Dogs and Sensors subcommittee. She is also a Technical Advisory Board member for the Houston Forensic Science Center. Dr. Quigley-McBride is funded by the Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence (CSAFE) to research the decision-making processes used by latent fingerprint analysts and to create simple tools can be easily incorporated.
CLE State Accreditation
- General 1.00
- General CLE-HI: 1.00
- General CLE-SD: 1.00
- General CLE-NY: 1.20
- General CLE-CA: 1.00
- General CLE-IL: 1.00
- General CLE-AK: 1.00
- General CLE-MD: 1.00
- General CLE-VT: 1.00
- General CLE-MA: 1.00
- General CLE-DC: 1.00
- General CLE-ND: 1.00
- General CLE-OR: 1.00
- General CLE-WA: 1.00
- General CLE-CT: 1.00
- General CLE-NH: 1.00
- General CLE-FL: 1.20
- General CLE-VI: 1.00
- General CLE-AZ: 1.00
CLE State Accreditation:
- General 1.00
- General CLE-HI: 1.00
- General CLE-SD: 1.00
- General CLE-NY: 1.20
- General CLE-CA: 1.00
- General CLE-IL: 1.00
- General CLE-AK: 1.00
- General CLE-MD: 1.00
- General CLE-VT: 1.00
- General CLE-MA: 1.00
- General CLE-DC: 1.00
- General CLE-ND: 1.00
- General CLE-OR: 1.00
- General CLE-WA: 1.00
- General CLE-CT: 1.00
- General CLE-NH: 1.00
- General CLE-FL: 1.20
- General CLE-VI: 1.00
- General CLE-AZ: 1.00