Curriculum Vitae

Employment

• Senior Advisor for Innovation, Strategic Engagements, and Partnerships, Social, Behavioral, & Economic Sciences Directorate, National Science Foundation, Alexandria, VA (2022 - )

  • Advances partnerships with industry, academia, and government

  • Oversees directorate engagement with and outreach to external allies

  • Provides scientific direction and oversight to the directorate's Office of Multidisciplinary Activities

  • Participates as a member of the directorate's senior leadership team and as a directorate executive

• Director of Government Relations, Association for Psychological Science (APS), Washington, DC (2019 - 2022)

  • Represented APS and psychological science in the science policy arena

  • Developed and implemented strategies for achieving APS's advocacy goals

  • Publicized APS advocacy initiatives to the APS membership

  • Served as psychological science adviser to APS staff

• Assistant Director for Policy, Association for Psychological Science (APS), Washington, DC (2016 - 2019)

• Methodology Fellow, APS, Washington, DC (2015 - 2016)

Education

• Washington University in St. Louis, MO (2009 - 2015)

  • Ph.D. in Psychology, concentration in Behavior, Brain, & Cognition (2015)

  • M.A. in Psychology, concentration in Behavior, Brain, & Cognition (2011)

  • Major professor: Henry L. Roediger, III

• The College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA

• The Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Alexandria, VA 

Research Interests

• The relationship between memory confidence and memory accuracy

• Metacognition and metamemory

• Applying principles of cognitive psychology to education

• Collective memory

• The intersection of psychology and technology

• Concept and category learning

• Metascience

Honors and Awards

• Dissertation Research Award, American Psychological Association (2014)

• Dissertation Research Award, Washington University Department of Psychology (2014)

• Dean's Dissertation Fellowship (2014 - 2015)

• Second Place in Social Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis Annual Graduate Research Symposium (2014)

• Recipient, Society for Computers in Psychology Birnbaum Award (2013)

• Recipient, Lee and Ann Liberman Graduate Fellowship (2011)

• Honorable Mention, NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (2010)

Publications

• Putnam, A. L., Deng, W., & DeSoto, K. A. (in press). Confidence ratings are better predictors of future performance than delayed judgments of learning. Memory.

• Isager, P. M., van Aert, R. C. M., Bahník, Š., Brandt, M. J., DeSoto, K. A., Giner-Sorolla, R., … Lakens, D. (in press). Deciding what to replicate: A decision model for replication study selection under resource and knowledge constraints. Psychological Methods.

• DeSoto, K. A. (2022).  I advocate on behalf of psychological science before the US Congress. In C. Madan (Ed.), Academia and the world beyond: Navigating life after a PhD (p. 129-136). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82606-2_14

• Putnam, A. L., Drake, S. M., Wang, S. Y., & DeSoto, K. A. (2021). Collective memory for American leaders: Measuring recognition for the names and faces of the US presidents. PLoS ONE, 16: e0255209. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0255209

• Tekin, E., DeSoto, K. A., Wixted, J. H., & Roediger, H. L. (2021). Applying confidence accuracy characteristic plots to old/new recognition memory experiments. Memory. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2021.1901937

• DeSoto, K. A., & Roediger, H. L. (2019). Remembering the presidents. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 28, 138-144. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721418815685 

• DeSoto, K. A., & Schweinsberg, M. (2017). Replication data collection highlights value in diversity of replication attempts. Scientific Data, 4, 170028. http://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2017.28 

• Roediger, H. L., & DeSoto, K. A. (2016). Recognizing the presidents: Was Alexander Hamilton president? Psychological Science, 27, 644-650. http://doi.org/10.1177/0956797616631113 

• DeSoto, K. A., & Votta, C. M. (2016). Psychology data on the effects of study schedules on category-member classification. Journal of Open Psychology Data, 4: e3. http://doi.org/10.5334/jopd.26 

• Fu, M., Xue, Y., DeSoto, K. A., & Yuan, T. (2016). Remembering the leaders of China. Frontiers in Psychology, 7(373). http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00373 

• Wahlheim, C. N., & DeSoto, K. A. (2016). Study preferences for exemplar variability in self-regulated category learning. Memory. http://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2016.1152378

• Roediger, H. L., & DeSoto, K. A. (2015). The psychology of reconstructive memory. In J. Wright (Ed.), International encyclopedia of the social and behavioral sciences, 2e. Oxford, UK: Elsevier. http://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-097086-8.51016-2 

• DeSoto, K. A. (2014). Collecting confidence ratings in cognitive psychology experiments: Investigating the relationship between confidence and accuracy in memory. In SAGE research methods cases. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. http://doi.org/10.4135/978144627305013507683 

• DeSoto, K. A., & Roediger, H. L. (2014). Positive and negative correlations between confidence and accuracy for the same events in recognition of categorized lists. Psychological Science, 25, 781-788. http://doi.org/10.1177/0956797613516149  

• Roediger, H. L., & DeSoto, K. A. (2014). Confidence in memory: Assessing positive and negative correlations. Memory, 22, 76-91. http://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2013.795974  

• Roediger, H. L., & DeSoto, K. A. (2014). Forgetting the presidents. Science, 346, 1106-1109. http://doi.org/10.1126/science.1259627

• Roediger, H. L., & DeSoto, K. A. (2014). Understanding the relation between confidence and accuracy in reports from memory. In D. S. Lindsay, C. M. Kelley, A. P. Yonelinas, & H. L. Roediger (Eds.), Remembering: Attributions, processes, and control in human memory (pp. 347-367). New York, NY: Psychology Press. 

• Roediger, H. L., Wixted, J. T., & DeSoto, K. A. (2012). The curious complexity between confidence and accuracy in reports from memory. In L. Nadel & W. Sinnott-Armstrong (Eds.), Memory and law (p. 84-118). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. http://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199920754.001.0001 

• Weinstein, Y. (with contributions by DeSoto, K. A.). (2012). Flash programming for the social and behavioral sciences: A sophisticated guide to online surveys and experiments. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. http://doi.org/10.4135/9781452244099

Projects, Registrations, Preprints, Data

• DeSoto, K. A., & Selmeczy, D. (2016). Audio recording of female speaker reading items from semantic categories. figshare. http://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3466163.v1

• Putnam, A. L., & DeSoto, K. A. (2016). Are retrospective confidence ratings better predictors of future performance than judgments of learning? http://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/5E67P

• Roediger, H. L., & DeSoto, K. A. (2016). Recognizing the presidents: Supplemental materials. http://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/8Z2AN

• DeSoto, K. A. (2015). Computerized methods for collecting confidence ratings: Task influences on patterns of responding. PeerJ PrePrints 3:e1786. http://doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.1432v1

• DeSoto, K. A. (2015): Computerized methods for collecting confidence ratings: Task influences on patterns of responding: Dataset. figshare. http://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.1572182.v1

• DeSoto, K. A., & Votta, C. M. (2015). Psychology data on the effects of study schedules on category-member classification: Dataset. figshare. http://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.1570940.v7

• DeSoto, K. A., & Simons, D. J. (2015). General knowledge question norming. http://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/Y4B9R

In the Media

Collective memory research

• • The Atlantic: You won't remember the pandemic the way you think you will

  • Oprah Magazine: After 2016, people are rethinking how they'll spend election night this year

  • Scientific American: The power of collective memory

  • The New York Times: Study on cultural memory confirms: Chester A. Arthur, we hardly knew ye

  • MSNBC: How many former presidents can you name?

  • The Washington Post: The presidents we remember—and the ones we’ve almost entirely forgotten

  • Scientific American: When will Obama be forgotten? Study reveals cultural memory patterns

  • Scientific American: How does your memory for U.S. presidents stack up?

  • TIME: How memory links the presidency, Ferguson and the Cosby mess

  • Daily Mail: Forgotten in 50 years: Experts reveal just how quickly the American public forgets their presidents

  • Vice: Even presidents are destined to die and be forgotten

  • St. Louis On The Air: How long do we remember a president's legacy?

Confidence-accuracy research

• • The New York Times: Why our memory fails us

Presentations

National Conferences

• • Tekin, E., DeSoto, K. A., Wixted, J. T., & Roediger, H. L. (2018, November). Two ways of calculating confidence accuracy characteristic plots in yes/no recognition memory experiments. Talk given at the 59th meeting of the Psychonomic Society, New Orleans, LA.

  • Yokum, D. V., Hatzimasoura, C., Minnich, K., & DeSoto, K. A. (2018, May). Applying behavioral science to improve decision making in Washington, DC. Panel at the 30th meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, San Francisco, CA.

  • Shaffer, R. A., Gilmore, A. W., DeSoto, K. A., & McDermott, K. B. (2017, November). Recollection, familiarity, and the testing effect over time. Poster presented at the 58th meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

  • DeSoto, K. A. (2017, May). Naked truth IV: You're working where? Panel at the 29th meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, Boston, MA.

  • DeSoto, K. A., & Roediger, H. L. (2017, March). How leaders are remembered and forgotten. Talk given at the 2nd International Convention for Psychological Science, Vienna, Austria.

  • DeSoto, K. A. (2016, May). Naked truth III: Navigating the job market. Panel at the 28th meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, Chicago, IL.

  • DeSoto, K. A., & Roediger, H. L. (2016, May). Effects of qualitative and quantitative bases of memory on old/new recognition and source decision accuracy. Poster presented at the 28th meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, Chicago, IL.

  • DeSoto, K. A., & Roediger, H. L. (2015, November). Confidence-accuracy correlations for remembered, known, and guessed memories. Poster presented at the 56th meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Chicago, IL.

  • Roediger, H. L., & DeSoto, K. A. (2014, November). Forgetting the presidents. Talk given at the 55th Meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Long Beach, CA.

  • DeSoto, K. A. (2013, November). Collecting confidence ratings in cognitive psychology experiments: Effects of scale and entry method. Poster presented at the Meeting of the Society for Computers in Psychology, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

  • DeSoto, K. A., & Roediger, H. L. (2013, November). Effects of study and test repetitions on false memory for category items. Poster presented at the 54th Meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

  • DeSoto, K. A., Nestojko, J. F., & Roediger, H. L. (2012, November). Effects of free recall testing on immediate and delayed recognition. Poster presented at the 53rd Meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Minneapolis, MN.

  • DeSoto, K. A., & Roediger, H. L. (2012, May). Effects of repeated study and test on recognition memory for categorized lists. Poster presented at the 24th Meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, Chicago, IL.

  • DeSoto, K. A., & Roediger, H. L. (2010, November). Confidence and accuracy in recognition memory: positive, negative, and zero correlations. Poster presented at the 51st Meeting of the Psychonomic Society, St. Louis, MO.

  • Weinstein, Y., & DeSoto, K. A. (2010, November). Teaching Flash programming for psychology. Poster presented at the 40th Meeting of the Society for Computers in Psychology, St. Louis, MO.

  • DeSoto, K. A., & Roediger, H. L. (2010, May). The confidence-accuracy correlation. Poster presented at the 22nd Meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, Boston, MA.

  • Ball, C. T., & DeSoto, K. A. (2009, November). Eye movements while zoning out during reading. Paper presented at the 50th Meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Boston, MA.

Regional and Local Conferences

• • DeSoto, K. A., & Roediger, H. L. (2014, February). Collective memory for U.S. presidents. Poster presented at the Washington University in St. Louis Graduate Research Symposium, St. Louis, MO.

  • Roediger, H. L., & DeSoto, K. A. (2013, May). Confidence and accuracy in reports from memory: Obtaining positive and negative correlations. Paper presented at the Festschrift in Honor of Larry Jacoby, St. Louis, MO.

  • DeSoto, K. A. (2011, May). Often wrong but never in doubt: Effects of category typicality on false memory and confidence ratings. Talk given at the Midwestern Psychological Association Conference, Chicago, IL.

  • DeSoto, K. A. (2011, February). Often wrong but never in doubt: Typicality relates to confident false memories. Poster presented at the Washington University in St. Louis Graduate Research Symposium, St. Louis, MO.

  • DeSoto, K. A. (2010, June). Driving factors of the confidence-accuracy correlation. Paper presented at the Show Me Mental Life Conference, St. Louis, MO.

  • DeSoto, K. A. (2010, February). The confidence-accuracy correlation: implications for eyewitness and basic psychological research. Poster presented at the Washington University in St. Louis Graduate Research Symposium, St. Louis, MO.

Other Publications and Talks

• DeSoto, K. A. (2023, March). Barking up the right tree: How psychologists and societies can participate in science policy and advocacy. Presentation to the Society for Experimental Psychology and Cognitive Science (American Psychological Association Division 3), Virtual.

• Minnich, K., & DeSoto, K. A. (2019, March). I’m feeling inclined: Leveraging behavioral science for effective governance. Presentation at the Office of Personnel Management Design School, Washington, DC.

• DeSoto, K. A. (2017, September). Navigating alt-academic positions. Presentation to the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, MO.

• DeSoto, K. A. (2017, April). Strengthening reproducibility in science. Presentation to Psychology Department, Carleton College, MN. 

• DeSoto, K. A. (2017, April). How leaders are remembered and forgotten. Presentation for memory processes course, Carleton College, MN.

• DeSoto, K. A. (2016). Finding a home for your science. Observer, 29(5), 24-26.

• DeSoto, K. A. (2016). Under the hood of Mechanical Turk. Observer, 29(3).

• DeSoto, K. A. (2015). Report points to need for improved reproducibility. Observer, 28, 13.

• DeSoto, K. A. (2014, May). Memory. Presentation for introductory psychology course, Lindenwood University, St. Louis, MO.

• DeSoto, K. A. (2013, November). Confidence and accuracy in memory: Theory, methods, and application. Presentation for the Psychology Department Behavior, Brain, and Cognition Colloquium, Washington University in St. Louis, MO.

• DeSoto, K. A. (2012, February). Managing your academic PDFs. Talk given for the Graduate Student Brown Bag series, Washington University in St. Louis, MO.

• DeSoto, K. A. (2011). Student notebook news. Observer, 24, 37.

As a member of the News Team at the Association for Psychological Science, I also helped produce blog posts and announcements for the website and magazine. 

Training, Editorial, & Other Activities

• Graduate, Leadership for a Democratic Society, Federal Executive Institute (Fall 2023)

• Fellow, The Lab @ DC (2016 - 2022)

  • Apply behavioral science to improve city government policies

  • Develop scientific community of practice across Washington, DC region

• Committee Member, Open Science Badges Committee

• Editorial Board Member, Scientific Data

• Reviewer

  • Addiction

  • Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics

  • Cognition

  • Memory

  • Memory & Cognition

  • Open Psychology

  • Psychological Science

  • Psychology & Neuroscience

  • Psychology of Consciousness

  • The Psychological Record

  • Translational Issues in Psychological Science

• Panelist, National Science Foundation