Developmental Psychology Program
Program Overview
Faculty in the Developmental Psychology program focus in their research on the development of emotional, social and cognitive processes in real-world contexts from the prenatal period and infancy through late adulthood. Faculty are especially interested in development from an adaptation and plasticity framework. They examine:
- how prenatal and early childhood experiences get “under the skin” by calibrating biological systems involved in physical and psychological development,
- how individuals across the life span adapt to life stress (including chronic illness),
- how diverse ecological and cultural contexts affect cognitive, moral, and identity development (including gender and sexual development)
- why some individuals exhibit greater resilience and adaptive skills in the face of adversity
- statistical techniques that address theories of how, when, and why people change across time.
Faculty in the Developmental Psychology program collaborate extensively with other faculty within the department and with faculty in other departments across campus (e.g., anthropology, gender studies, pediatrics, sociology) and interdisciplinary centers (e.g., Consortium for Families and Health Research, Utah Center for Reproductive Health, Diabetes and Metabolism Center, Utah Network for LGBTQ).
Strengths of the Program
- Mentorship by faculty members who have received significant awards for their research, teaching, and mentorship.
- Advanced statistical training to provide cutting-edge techniques for the analyses of change over short intensive and longer time scales.
- Hands-on experience with how to effectively conduct interdisciplinary team science ranging from the fields of medicine to community engaged research.
- Opportunities to tailor your training to suit your career goals through coursework, specialized projects, and individual work with faculty.
Prospective Graduate Students
Competitive applicants to our program have in-depth research experience and demonstrated
interests in generating new knowledge in areas that align with the research of our
faculty (see faculty links below). We use the mentorship approach to graduate training
where students work closely with one faculty member. Students are encouraged to complete
collaborative projects with other relevant faculty members as well.
Current Graduate Students
Area handbook for Developmental Psychology Ph.D. Program
Travel funds for presentations at conferences
Career Paths Taken by our Graduates
- Work as professors in educational settings varying from major research universities to community colleges.
- Work in public policy and other applied settings, using their understanding of lifespan development and research methods to help develop, test, and promote solutions to real world problems.
- Work in the health industry conducting research and innovating patient care.
- Work for the federal and state governments on issues relevant to people in particular age groups, or allocating funding to developmental research.
- Work for survey research companies.
Where are our former graduate students now?
Jenna Alley, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Psychology, UCLA
Stacia Bourne, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology and Brain Sciences,
University of Delaware
Christopher Fagundes, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Psychology, Rice University
Caitlin Kelly, Ph.D.., Director of Outcomes Research, T1D Exchange
Masha Komolova, PhD, Associate Professor, CUNY-City University of New York
Kelly Ko, Ph.D., Vice President, Innovation and Strategic Initiatives at Sharp HealthCare
Amy Hughes Lansing, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University
of Vermont
Cade Mansfield, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Franklin and
Marshall
Sean Meegan, Ph.D., Director, Consumer Experience Measurement and Discovery, Intermountain
Health
Roberto Posado, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Psychology Department, Universidad Nacional
de Colombia
Nila Shakiba, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Human Development and Family Studies, Auburn
University
Leigh Shaw, Ph.D., Brady Presidential Distinguished Professor, Weber State University
Faculty with Developmental Psychology Focus
