Joanna Pozzulo
Chancellor’s Professor
- PhD (Queen’s)
- Email Joanna Pozzulo
- 613-520-2600 ext 1412
Research Interests
The primary goal of my research is to understand how memory in the context of witnessing crime differs across the lifespan focusing on the young eyewitness. On an applied level, I am interested in developing age-appropriate identification procedures that police can use with eyewitnesses to reduce the likelihood of wrongful conviction. Also, within an eyewitness context, I examine factors that influence the recall and identification accuracy of 鈥渇amiliar-strangers鈥. Relatedly, I am interested extralegal factors that influence juror decision-making within a context of sexual assault.
You can read more about Dr. Pozzulo鈥檚 research in her blog, 鈥淥n the Witness Stand鈥 () published in Psychology Today.
Dr. Pozzulo is the Director of the Mental Health and Well-being Research and Training Hub.
As a secondary line of research, I am interested in knowledge mobilization for well-being as it relates to improving everyday life. Specifically, I am interested in how reading impacts well-being.
I created and run the digital Reading for Well-Being Community Book Club where I select evidence-based books for well-being and personal growth, selected as Professor Pozzulo鈥檚 Picks. All are welcome to join and there are no costs. More information and sign up is available here, /mental-health/mewerths-reading-for-well-being-community-book-club/
I am the host of the Reading for Well-Being Podcast where I interview the authors of her book club picks, listen here, /mental-health/reading-for-well-being-podcast/
PUBLICATIONS
Books forthcoming:
Pozzulo, J., Pica, E., Fraser, B., & Sheahan, C. (forthcoming). I spy with my little eye: Real-life cases of wrongful conviction involving a young eyewitness. Oxford University Press. (250pp)
Pozzulo, J.D., Sheahan, C., & Pica, E. (2019). Familiarity and conviction in the criminal justice system: Definitions, theory, and eyewitness research. Oxford University Press. (144pp)
Pozzulo, J.D. (2016). The young eyewitness: How well do children and adolescents describe and identify perpetrators? American Psychological Association. (232pp)
Books edited:
Pica, E., Ross, D., & Pozzulo, J. (Eds.). (2024). The impact of technological advances on the legal system: Psychological implications for eyewitness accuracy. Routledge/Taylor & Francis. (462pp)
Pozzulo, J.D., Pica, E., & Sheahan, C. (Eds.). (2020). Memory and sexual misconduct: Psychological research for criminal justice. Taylor & Francis Group. (238pp)
Pozzulo, J.D., & Bennell, C. (Eds.). (2018). Working with trauma-exposed children and adolescents: Evidence-based and age-appropriate practices. Taylor & Francis Group. (332pp)
Toglia, M., Ross, D., Pozzulo, J.D., & Pica, E. (Eds.). (2014). The elderly eyewitness in court. Taylor & Francis Group. (390pp)
Articles in refereed journals:
Fraser, B., Pica, E., & Pozzulo, J. (2025). Admissibility of Prior Sexual History Evidence: Examining Its Impact on Mock-Jurors鈥 Judgements When Gender and Race are Considered. Behavioral Sciences & the Law.
Fraser, B. M., & Pozzulo, J. D. (2025).听Delayed Reporting of Sexual Assault in Sports: The Impact of Decade-Long听Delays on Mock-Jurors’ Perceptions and Decision-Making.听Journal of Interpersonal Violence.听
Fraser, B., Pica, E., Pozzulo, J. D., Korn, J., & Scharfe, C. (2025). Beyond the evidence: How race, chronological age, and developmental age shape juror verdicts in sexual assault cases. Behavioral Sciences & the Law.
Pozzulo, J., Stone, A., Vettese, A. (2025). Designing a graduate level peer-wellness coaching course. Health Education Journal.
Vettese, A., & Pozzulo, J. (2025). Indigenous Canadians take the stand: The influence of mock-juror perceptions and verdict decisions. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology.
Hildenbrand, A., Thompson, L.E., Pozzulo, J., & Sherratt, K. (2025). Mock-juror decision-making: The influence of inconsistencies, situation type, and defendant and victim race. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology. Advance online publication.
Pica, E., Bride, H., Lamirande, A., & Pozzulo, J. (2024). The influence of assault type, delayed reporting, and testimony inconsistencies on mock jurors鈥 judgments. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology.
Thompson, L. E., & Pozzulo, J. (2024). How length of and reason for delayed reporting influence mock-jurors鈥 judgments in a sexual assault trial. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology.
Barager, R.T., Thompson, L.E. & Pozzulo, J. (2024). Perceptions in a sexual assault trial: The influence of age and race on Canadian mock-jurors. Journal of Police Criminal Psychology, 40, 128-140.
Vettese, A., Pica, E., & Pozzulo, J. (2024). House of worship mass shooting: The influence of defendant age, religion, and victim religion on mock-juror decision-making. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 39, 693鈥705.
Fraser, B. M., Pozzulo, J. D., & Sheahan, C. (2023). Eyewitness accuracy: Examining scent cues as a form of context reinstatement. The American Journal of Forensic Psychology, 41(2), 3-26.
Pica, E., Sheahan, C.L., & Pozzulo, J. (2023). How identification decision, eyewitness age, and familiarity with a defendant influences mock jurors鈥 decisions. American Journal of Forensic Psychology, 41, 25-39.
Pica, E., Sheahan, C.L., Pozzulo, J., & Vettese, A. (2023). Prior allegations matter: Mock jurors鈥 perceptions of sexual harassment. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology. Advance Online Publication.
Ellingwood, H., Pica, E., Pozzulo, J., & Schultheis, E. (2023). The influence of victim sexual orientation, gender, and gender identity on mock jurors鈥 judgments. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 38, 462-468.
Pozzulo, J., Vettese, A., & Stone, A. (2023). A community mental health and well-being university-level course: Design and implementation. Journal of Experiential Education. Advance online publication.
Fraser, B. M., Pica, E., & Pozzulo, J. D. (2023). Mock-Jurors鈥 Judgements in a Sexual Assault Case: The Influence of Defendant Race and Occupational Status, Delayed Reporting, and Multiple Allegations. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 38(13-14), 7964-7989.
Pica, E., Hildenbrand, A., Fraser, L., & Pozzulo, J. (2023). Juror decision-making in a child trafficking case: The impact of defendant and victim gender, defendant age, and defendant status. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 38, 10031-10054.
Sheahan, C. L., Pica, E., Thompson, L.E., Vettese, A., & Pozzulo, J. (2023). The influence of Indigenous identity and gender in perceptions of behaviour in response to racialized police communication. Race and Social Problems, 15, 246-261.
Sheahan, C.听L., Fraser, B. M, Pica, E., & Pozzulo, J. (2023). The influence of testimonial aids,听age, and familiarity on mock-juror decision-making in a sexual offence case.听Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 38, 299-308.听
Thompson, L. E., Pozzulo, J., Fraser, B. M., Sheahan, C. L., Mackovichova, S., & Pratt, K. J. (2023). The impact of procedure and filler similarity on adolescent eyewitness lineup performance. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 38, 437-451.
Ross, D.F, Pica, E., Pozzulo, J., Clark, M., Swanson, S., Warren, A., Metzger, R., Silver, C., & Sinclair, H. (2023). The impact of disguise on identification of familiar faces. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology 38, 483鈥492.
Knowledge Mobilization:
Pozzulo, J. (2025, Nov. 1). Have you Read: Books for Well-Being and Personal Development. Bookmarks Magazine (pp. 8, 26).
Pozzulo J. (2025, Oct. 24). Reading for well-being. HealCanada (pp. 35-36).
Pozzulo J. (2025, Aug. 5). Back-to-school transitions can trigger stress and anxiety 鈥 these 5 books can help. The Conversation.
Pozzulo J. (2025, June 25). Reading for well-being, HealCanada (pp. 35-36).
Pozzulo J. (2025, May 14). Looking for mental health or wellness advice in a book? Check the author鈥檚 credentials first. The Conversation.
Pozzulo J. (2025, April 21). Reading for well-being, HealCanada (pp. 33-34).
Pozzulo J. (2025, April 6). 5 tips from an expert for choosing a self-help book that will actually work. The Conversation.
Pozzulo, J. (2025, March 10). Reading for well-being. UBC Brain Wellness newsletter.
Pozzulo, J. (2025, March 8). Books we鈥檙e reading and loving in March: The Positive Shift.
Pozzulo J. (2025, Feb. 27). Reading for well-being, HealCanada (pp. 39-40).
Pozzulo, J. (2024, Aug. 1). Rape myths can affect jurors鈥 perceptions of sexual assault, and that needs to change. The Conversation.
Pozzulo J. (2024, June 20). Summer reading: 4 books on well-being that you can rely on. The Conversation.
Pozzulo, J. (2024, Feb. 12). The use of technology in policing should be regulated to protect people from wrongful convictions, The Conversation.
Pozzulo, J. (2024). It鈥檚 number 5: I鈥檒l never forget that face! Psychology Review, 29, 9-11.
Pozzulo, J. (2024, Feb. 1). In high-profile sexual assault trials, rape myths and the social status of the defendants can affect jurors’ perceptions. The Conversation.