Our research focuses on how children and adolescents control their attention and actions, especially in the face of distractions and behavioral choices that conflict with their goals.
Under the umbrella term cognitive control, we study how and when children and adolescents develop the foundational cognitive functions such as:
focusing on relevant information while ignoring distractions
maintaining and manipulating information in their minds
resisting automatic responses that conflict with their goals
monitoring the outcomes of their actions, especially when they make errors
We study cognitive control development as it is embedded in households and classrooms, within the broader contexts of individuals' socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
Broadly, our research program aims to:
characterize the neurodevelopmental and behavioral changes in cognitive control from early childhood through adolescence;
elucidate the mechanisms through which early experiences at home and schools contribute to cognitive control development;
delineate the interplay between cognitive control skills and academic development.
To address these aims, our research group uses a multi-method approach that combines:
behavioral assessments
electroencephalogram / event-related potentials (EEG/ERP)
