Mikaela Spruill’s research investigates how our judgments and decisions at the individual-level sustain systemic inequities. She works to understand the cognitive processes and social contexts that help facilitate large-scale racial disparities via policy preferences and jury decisions. Her ultimate aim is to uncover bias reduction interventions that can aid in alleviating these inequities. She is a postdoctoral fellow with SPARQ at Stanford where she aids in the advancement of the center’s projects on the criminal justice system, with a focus on policing and public safety. Additionally, she serves as an editorial fellow for Psychology, Public Policy & Law.
Prior to joining SPARQ, Mikaela earned her Ph.D. in social and personality psychology from Cornell University, her MA in experimental psychology from Wake Forest University, and her BS in neuroscience from The College of William and Mary.