Katlyn Farnum

I received my bachelors in Psychology from the University of Evansville, where I also minored in sociology and criminal justice. During this time I discovered the field of Psychology and Law and decided it was what my future pathway through psychology would be. After receiving my bachelors, I attended the Psychology and Law program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where I earned both a Masters of Legal Studies and a Ph.D. in Social Psychology. From 2016 to 2024, I was an Assistant and then Associate Professor of Forensic Psychology at the College of Saint Rose . I started at Siena University in fall of 2024. 

My Siena Experience

My Teaching Philosophy

Because social psychology, and psychology in general, are so applicable to everyday life, I structure my courses in a way to include examples, assignments, and hands-on activities that allow students to interact with these concepts in concrete and meaningful ways. Since the topics of my courses are always evolving with new empirical findings, legislation, and policies, current events and recent developments are regularly brought into class to provide real life examples that students are often passionate about. Along with this, I also strive to highlight and maintain a fair and inclusive classroom driven by the idea of procedural justice.

My Professional Experience

Current Research

My research explores how social psychological processes can be used to understand and explain the way people make legal decisions and behave in the legal system. Of particular interest are the factors related to workplace discrimination and harassment based on various protected classes (like someone's gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, race, age, and disability status) and protected legal actions (such as whistleblowing).