The LAMB lab is directed by Dr. Katie Muenks and is located in the Educational Psychology department at the University of Texas at Austin.

We study what motivates students to learn and how teachers, parents, and peers can create equitable and motivationally supportive environments. We take a social-cognitive approach to studying motivation, emphasizing people’s beliefs about and perceptions of themselves and others. Ultimately, our goal is to contribute to knowledge about best supporting all students’ learning and reducing inequities in educational outcomes.

Most, though not all, of our work is with adolescent (middle and high school) and college-aged students, as well as their teachers, parents, and peers. Most of our research is conducted within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) contexts. We collaborate often and hold a joint weekly lab meeting with the Science of Learning and Metacognition Lab.