My research addresses how children and adults make the distinction between fantasy and reality. A number of our studies investigate how children make reality status judgments when they encounter novel information. We explore the effects of three broad classes of factors: (1) characteristics of the individual child (e.g.,fantasy orientation) (2) characteristics of the stimulus (e.g., novel vs. familiar) and (3) effects of the environment (e.g., parental influence). We are also addressing a number of other issues including children's religious cognition (e.g., beliefs about God) and their understanding of different kinds of evidence (e.g., anecdotes vs. statistics). A number of our current studies also address aspects of superstition and pseudoscience and include explorations of astrology beliefs, sports superstitions, and the placebo effect.
My goal is to allow students to experience all aspects of the research process, from brainstorming new study ideas to testing (4-12 year-old) children one-on-one to critiquing manuscripts. I see my lab as a place to learn about research from first-hand experience, but also as a place of community, as a place to develop skills that will be applicable to any future career you choose to pursue, and as a place for you to grow as a person.
