The Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology focuses on studies of developmental changes in social behaviors, social cognitions, and social relationships and how such changes are related to, caused by, or predictive of features of cognitive, emotional, motivational, neuropsychological, and psychopathological development. As well, there is research on measurement, evaluation, and statistical methods for longitudinal research that occurs in the department. HDQM faculty are leading scholars and study the interpersonal, cognitive, emotional, motivational, and neuropsychological bases of social behaviors and relationships. The department has significant strengths in measurement and evaluation with leading scholars in these fields. In addition, many of our faculty members study social development in diverse contexts, including home, school and neighborhood, environments with multiple risks (e.g., poverty & parental psychopathology), as well as different ethnic communities within the U.S., and different cultures across the globe (cross-cultural studies). HDQM faculty are increasingly collaborating with scientists in neighboring disciplines as analytical, methodological, and theoretical advances continue to result in new subfields that blend the biological and social sciences.
Educational Psychology: The faculty in the Educational Psychology Specialization focus on the processes involved in learning across the life span. Themes include cognitive development focusing on language, mathematics, and reading. There are significant strengths in language learning, bi-lingualism, and cognitive neuroscience of reading.
Developmental Science: The faculty in the Developmental Science Specialization focus on the processes involved in social and cognitive development across the lifespan. Themes include the importance of early experience on brain and behavior, the importance of peer relationships, moral reasoning, research on families and the influence of socio-economic status on childrens development.
Educational Measurement and Statistics: The faculty in Educational Measurement and Statistics focus on basic research in educational measurement, as well as significant conceptual advances in statistical modeling with an emphasis on latent class models. Themes include analysis of large data sets, longitudinal modeling and latent growth curve analysis.