Psychology Speakers Series
Fall 2009 Psychology Speaker Series
All talks take place on Wednesdays,
12:30 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. (*Unless Noted Otherwise)
Location: 80 5th Ave., Conference Room 529
"Spatial Frames Of Reference: A Case Study Of Language And Conceptual Development"
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Peggy Li
Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard University
What is the relationship between language learning and conceptual development? On the one hand, it makes sense that language learning follows conceptual development: How can a child figure out what an adult is talking about unless she can appreciate what is being said? On the other hand, language learning may drive conceptual development, for example, by inviting the child to analyze new relationships and to create new representational structures. Researchers have tended to adhere to one or the other view, but these positions need not be mutually exclusive. Using a case study in the domain of spatial cognition, I illustrate this point. Specifically, language communities vary greatly in their stock of spatial reference frames terms. For instance, some languages make use of body-based terms (left/right), where other languages lack such terms and make use of cardinal ones (north/south). Drawing upon data from language acquisition and how learners of different languages solve spatial tasks, I demonstrate effects of both thought leading language and language leading thought.
"Gangs in Norway and Globalization of Gangs"
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Ragnhild Bjornebekk, Senior Researcher, Norwegian Police University College
and Senior educational Psychological Clinician, Oslo, Norway
Prof. Bjornebekk is an Internationally know Psychologist for her extensive
research in Nordic countries on issues related to crime prevention, working
with violence, gangs, prevention of knife violence, development of
strategies and pathways ot control violent behavior amongst youngsters.
Prof. Bjornebekk has an expertise on Nordic efforts to combat Neo- Nazism
and the treatment of violent youth groups both locally and globally. She
consults with World Health Organization and other International bodies as an
expert psychologist from Norway on crime prevention and treatment of youth.
"Autonomic Reactivity in Relation to Attachment and Early Adversity among Foster Children"
Wednesday, October 14th, 2009
Mirjam Oosterman, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Clinical Child and Family Studies
VU University Amsterdam
"Among the Hidden: The Slum Culture of Children & Adolescents"
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Usha Nayar Ph.D.
Professor and Provost (fmr.)
Tata Institute of Social Sciences
Mumbai, India
This talk will discuss work with street and slum children and adolescents in India. The special focus will be their life transactory and their negotiations of self, environment and society.