Ben Denkinger

Dr. Ben Denkinger earned his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota and has spent many, many years—perhaps more than one might expect—delving into the complexities of human cognition and memory. At Augsburg, he leads the Aging Lab, focusing on research related to memory and perception in older adults, a subject he seems to have an uncanny understanding of, as if he’s been watching the passage of time for centuries.

In his research, Dr. Denkinger has explored phenomena such as the “own-age bias” in facial recognition and the “positivity effect” in memory recall among older adults. Some say he has an almost preternatural ability to recall the faces of those he has encountered, no matter how long ago. He has also contributed to discussions on why time seems to accelerate as people age, offering insights that feel… eerily personal, as if he has observed the effects firsthand across lifetimes.

Dr. Denkinger’s most recent work focuses on the science of polygraph and lie detection, in order to better understand the potential for these methods to lead vulnerable interrogation suspects to falsely confess to crimes that they did not commit. Working with a team of investigators, they cast doubt on this approach’s true potential to unmask hidden truths, such as one’s true age, dietary habits, or nocturnal tendencies.

Beyond his research, Dr. Denkinger serves as the Assistant Dean for Assessment and Academic Analytics at Augsburg University, where he oversees academic assessment initiatives with a level of meticulousness that suggests a mind well-versed in centuries of observation and patience. Despite his busy schedule, colleagues often note his remarkable energy levels—particularly in the evenings—and his penchant for avoiding direct sunlight during outdoor faculty events.

Across this varied contributions to the fields of cognitive geropsychology and psych & law, one might wonder if his true interests lie in something… beyond mere human experience.

Education

* B.A. Hamline University

* Ph.D. University of Minnesota

Frequently Taught Courses

* PSY 105 – Principles of Psychology

* PSY 215 – Research Methods and Statistics I

* PSY 253 – Aging and Adulthood

* PSY 354 – Cognitive Psychology

* PSY 491 – Advanced Research Seminar

Selected Scholarship

Recent Publications

Denkinger, B., Harper, J., Yoon, H.; & Iacono, W. (submitted). A systematic document review of National Registration of Exoneration cases involving polygraph tests and false confessions. Legal & Criminological Psychology

Leo, R. A., Iacono, W. G., Denkinger, B., Harper, J., Brand, J. & Yoon, H (2024). Brief of Amici Curiae, A Group of Concerned Scientists, Texas v. Cielencki. University of San Francisco Law Research Paper, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4952620 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4952620

Denkinger, B. & Kinn, M. (2018). Own-age bias and positivity effects in facial recognition. Experimental Aging Research, https://doi.org/10.1080/0361073X.2018.1521493

Denkinger, B. & Koutstaal, W. (2014). A set of 265 pictures standardized for studies of the cognitive processing of temporal and causal order information. Behavior Research Methods, 46, 229 – 239. doi: 10.3758/s13428-013-0338-x

Denkinger, B. & Koutstaal, W. (2009). Perceive-Decide-Act, Perceive-Decide-Act: How abstract is decision learning? Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition. 35, 742 – 756. doi: 10.1037/a0015263.

 

Recent Presentations

Yoon, H & Denkinger, B. (2024). Developing EEG-based Research at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions. Midwestern Psychological Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.

Denkinger, B. & Yoon, H. (2023). Evaluating the Role of Polygraph in False Confessions. Midwestern Psychological Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.

Denkinger, B. (2019). Improving the Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET). IUPUI Assessment Conference, Indianapolis, IN.

Denkinger, B., Chamberlain, K., Krajewski, S., Kwame-Ross, T., Pike, D., & Richardson Blackwell, K. (2019). Reducing bias in university course survey design. National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology, St. Pete’s Beach, FL.

Denkinger, B. (2014). Age-related changes in time estimation. Association for Psychological Science, San Francisco, CA.

Denkinger, B. & Koutstaal, W. (2008). Perceive-decide-act, perceive-decide-act: The benefits and costs of previous decisions on object priming. Association for Psychological Science, Chicago, IL.

Denkinger, B. (2003, April). The Effects of Motivation on Long Time Interval Perception. National Conference of Undergraduate Research, Salt Lake City, UT.

 

Student Mentored Projects & Presentations

Alex Hernandez Olivera (2024). The Polygraph’s Impact on False Memories. Midwest Psychology Association, Chicago, IL.; Scholars At the Capital, St. Paul, MN (2024).

Faber, C. (2024). How Polygraphs are Used to Induce False Confessions. Midwest Psychology Association, Chicago, IL.

Bradley, L. (2024). Individual Differences Between Face Processing and the N170 Brain Response. Midwest Psychology Association, Chicago, IL.

Parkos, N., Maher, M., Denkinger, B. & Yoon, H. (2024). The P3 Event-related Potential as an Indicator of Substance Abuse Risk. Midwest Psychology Association, Chicago, IL.

Goff, L. (2024). Let’s Talk: Potential Interpersonal Closeness Mitigation for Loneliness in Older Adults. Poster presented at Midwest Psychology Association, Chicago, IL; Paper presented at the Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference

Faber, C. (2023) How Polygraphs are Used to Induce False Confessions. Presented at the Annual McNair Scholars Conference, Berkley, CA.

Hernandez-Olivera, A. (2023) The Polygraph’s Impact on False Memories. Presented at the Annual McNair Scholars Conference, Berkley, CA.

Bradley, L. (2023) Effects of Inverted vs. Upright Faces on the N170 Event-related Potential Face Effect. Presented at the Annual McNair Scholars Conference, Berkley, CA.

Hassan, H. (2023). Effectuating the P3 Brain Response with Passive Counting Task. Presented at the Annual McNair Scholars Conference, Berkley, CA; Midwestern Psychological Association Annual Conference (2024); Scholars at the Capital, St. Paul, MN (2024)

Rolf, K. (2023). Evaluating Racial Disparities in Cases of Exoneration. Poster presented at the Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference. Macalester College, MN

Castillo, Natalia (2023). The role of polygraph “lie detection” in false confessions. Midwest Psychology Association, Chicago, IL.

Kelley, Katie (2023). N170-ERP investigation into facial inversion effects. Midwest Psychology Association, Chicago, IL.

Blevins, Madison & Olmedo-Gomez, Stephanie (2023). N170-ERP Investigation into upright vs. stylized faces. Midwest Psychology Association, Chicago, IL.

Shire, Ubah (2023). Minnesota face database: Developing a new stimulus set. Midwest Psychology Association, Chicago, IL.

Alvares, Aleyda (2023). Measuring Contact Between Age Groups with the Intergenerational Contact Scale. Midwest Psychology Association, Chicago, IL.

Alvares, Aleyda (2022). Developing an InterGenerational Contact Scale. Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference, Macalaster College, MN.

Hoek, Davis (2022). Is the Own-Age Bias in Face Recognition Affected by Intergenerational Contact? Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference, Macalaster College, MN.

Shire, Ubah (2022). Limitations in Facial Recognition Research: Diversity and Representation in Facial Stimulus Sets. Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference, Macalaster College, MN.

Disrud, Cassidy (2022). The Perils of Polygraphs: Failures of the Control Question Test (CQT). Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference, Macalaster College, MN.

Vang, NtaisNag (2022). False Confessions Due to Polygraphs: The Innocence Project Takes the Stand. Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference, Macalaster College, MN.

Castillo, Natalia (2022). Racial Bias in Interrogation Tactics and Polygraph Administration. Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference, Macalaster College, MN.

Balint, Samantha (2022). Reconsidering Polygraph Testing in Pre–Employment Screening. Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference, Macalaster College, MN.

Sande-Martin, B. & Denkinger, B. (2019). The Impact of Smartphone Notifications and its Effect on Proofreading Accuracy. 31^st Association for Psychological Science Annual Convention, Washington, DC.

Sande-Martin, B. (2019). The Impact of Smartphone Notifications and its Effect on Proofreading Accuracy. Scholars at the Capital, Saint Paul, MN.

Enriquez Blas, J (2018). Age Related Changes in Emotion Facial Recognition. McNair Scholars Symposium, University of Buffalo, NY.

Sande-Martin, B. (2018). The Impact of Smartphone Notifications and Their Effect on Proofreading Accuracy. McNair Scholars Symposium, University of Buffalo, NY.

Jader, A. (2018). Adaptability of offline hand representations in the rubber hand illusion. Midwest Psychology Association, Chicago, IL.

Mcready, M. & Patterson, A. (2018). Own-age biases in recognition memory and visual scanning of faces. Midwest Psychology Association, Chicago, IL.

Enriquez Blas, J. (2018). The Influence of Confidence on Flow State Experience and Time Perception. Midwest Psychology Association, Chicago, IL.

Paz-Basurto, D. (2018). The influence of emotional imagery on duration estimates in a dual-task design. Midwest Psychology Association, Chicago, IL.

Kinn, M. & Denkinger, B. (2017). Visual scanning techniques and the age-related positivity effect in facial recognition. Midwest Psychology Association, Chicago, IL.

Hillebrand, R. & Denkinger, B. (2017). Time estimation in a lexical decision task. Midwest Psychology Association, Chicago, IL.

Kanan, A. & Denkinger, B. (2016). Investigating the Influence of Motivational Traits on Exercise Persistence. Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference, Augsburg College, MN.

Johnson, J., Krenz, P., Denkinger, B. & Steblay, N. (2016). Eyewitness memory procedures in older adulthood. Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference, Augsburg College, MN.

Ross, H., Kraft, J., Matz, D., & Denkinger, B. (2016). The influence of motivation on attention to temporal feedback. Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference, Augsburg College, MN.

Boyum, A.*, Kraft, J., Matz, D. & Denkinger, B. (2015). The influence of motivation on attention to temporal feedback. Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference, Macalaster College, MN.

Allen, M., Denkinger, B. & Steblay, N. (2015). Eyewitness memory procedures in older adulthood. Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference, Macalaster College, MN.

Block, K. & Denkinger, B. (2015). Homophily in relationships: Do politics and race affect romantic relationships? Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference, Macalaster College, MN.

Mattson, B. & Denkinger, B. (2014). Victim blame, gender, and sexual orientation. Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference, Bethel College, MN.

Christensen, B., Mattson, B., Simpson, B., Aguilar, J. & Denkinger, B. (2014). Time warp: How emotional experience influences time perception. Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference, Bethel College, MN.