Cognitive/Instructional-Developmental-and School
Psychology
Research Themes
Faculty in the Cognitive/Instructional-Developmental-School Psychology
area conduct research on many aspects of learning, cognition, development,
and academic achievement. We are interested in basic cognitive processes
including language and comprehension in adults and from a developmental
psychology perspective. In addition, we are interested in cognitive and
social development and in the contexts in which cognitive and social development
occurs, including schools, classrooms, peer interactions, parent-child
relationships, and in the use of technology in the learning process on
the part of both instructors and students.
Graduate students typically select a focus in one field, either cognitive/instructional,
developmental,
or school psychology,
and work closely with a faculty member in the chosen field. However,
we provide students with the flexibility to pursue interests that combine
one or more of these sub-disciplines. Thus, students may work with
more than one faculty member and conduct research in more than one area
(e.g., combining cognitive and developmental psychology or developmental
and school psychology).
Language and Comprehension
-- Much of what we know about our world comes from understanding language.
In school, we listen to teachers and peers, and participate in several
kinds of discourse. Understanding how the mind transforms squiggly lines
on a piece of paper into a deep appreciation of a story or a poem is both
fascinating and challenging. Language is tied to many aspects of cognition:
memory, attention, problem solving, and learning. Our faculty study many
aspects of comprehension: how words get their meaning, how sentences are
understood, how ideas are created and maintained in memory, how we make
inferences about what we read, how we monitor our own cognitive processing
during comprehension and learning, and how these processes change developmentally.
Faculty interested in Language and Comprehension: Anne Britt, Joseph
Magliano, Keith Millis, Bradford Pillow, Elise Masur, Frederick Schwantes.
Parent-Child Relationships
-- The parent-child relationship is one of the single, most important relationships
in the life of the developing person. Throughout the life-span, the quality
of a person's relationship with his or her parents exerts a strong influence
on development. Our faculty conduct research on many different aspects
of parent-child relationships. We investigate the nature of parent-child
interactions, the effects of parenting on children's adjustment, linkages
between parenting and a child's or adolescent's peer relationships, parents'
beliefs about children and compliance, and parenting within demographically
diverse groups. We study parent-child relationships from early childhood
through late adolescence. Faculty interested in Parent-Child Relationships:
Elise Masur, Nina Mounts, Christine Lovejoy, Joel Milner.
Peer Relationships -- Peer
relationships play a central role in children's development. From early
childhood through adulthood, peer relationships provide companionship,
support, caring, intimacy, and recreation. Our faculty study many aspects
of peer relationships, including peer rejection, peer influence on adjustment,
friendship formation, social support, and the relation between social skills
and academic achievement. Our research on peer relationships involves children
from early childhood through adolescence. This research involves normal
children as well as children experiencing behavioral problems. Faculty
interested in Peer Relationships: Michelle Demaray, Christine Malecki,
Nina Mounts, Gregory Waas, Karen White.
Social Development and Social Cognitive
Development -- Understanding our social experiences is among
the most important and complex tasks faced in everyday life. Throughout
childhood and adulthood we continually try to make sense of ourselves and
other people. We reflect on our own thoughts, feelings, and actions, and
make inferences about the thoughts, feelings, and actions of others. Development
of these social cognitive abilities contributes to the development of social
competence and social relationships. Our faculty study children's understanding
of themselves, children's understanding of other people, and parents' understanding
of children. Thus, we investigate how children learn to make inferences
about another person's thoughts and feelings and how children reason about
the causes of another person's actions. We also investigate children's
understanding their peers' personality traits, children's ability to think
about their own thought processes, and parents' understanding of their
children's behavior. Our research involves children from preschool through
adolescence and includes both normal children and children with behavior
problems. Faculty interested in Social Development and Social Cognitive
Development: Bradford Pillow, Gregory Waas, Christine Lovejoy, Karen
White.
Academic Achievement
-- Learning and Social Context. Many factors influence how students learn
and function academically in the classroom. Students' achievement is affected
by the classroom environment, instructional practices, assessment practices,
and peer or social contexts. In addition, students bring with them a set
of individual differences in abilities and learning styles. Our faculty
are interested in studying several factors related to learning and social
context. For example, we are attempting to identify "best practices" in
instructional and assessment methods. We are also studying the broader
social context to determine how social skills and social interactions can
impact academic achievement, and vice versa. Another research goal is to
determine the role that social support from teachers, parents, and peers
can play in academic achievement. Overall, we are investigating the roles
that individual differences and the social context play in students' academic
success. Faculty interested in Academic Achievement: Michelle Demaray,
Christine Malecki.
Technology, Learning, and Instruction
-- Technology is rapidly moving into every aspects of our lives. In education
computers have become common place, and using the Internet is a skill to
be fostered for the new millennium. Because technology is swiftly becoming
part of our educational experience, it is important to understand the interaction
between technology and learning. Our faculty are interested in how we can
use technology to foster advanced literary skills and how comprehension
of hypermedia differs from comprehension of traditional information sources
such as textbooks. We also are interested in how technology can be used
in the field of mental health. Faculty Interested in Technology, Learning,
and Instruction: Anne Britt, Joseph Magliano, Keith Millis, Bradford
Pillow, Frederick Schwantes, Susan Frauenglass.