Developmental Psychology

The UC Davis Department of Psychology contains five major "areas": Developmental, Perception-Cognition, Biological Psychology, Quantitative and Social-Personality. Developmental psychology focuses on development throughout life and its applications. Boundaries between the areas are fluid, and students are encouraged to take seminars in all five.

Research Orientation

Faculty members are prominent in their fields, skilled at mentoring students and professionally active, involving their students in exciting and cutting-edge research programs. The wide range of faculty expertise facilitates research in many different areas of study, emphasizing close faculty-student collaboration, and interdisciplinary research is encouraged.

Research Topics

Research topics include issues in developmental neuroscience in typical and atypical populations, symbolic representation in infants and children, children's psychological understanding and theory of mind, memory development (e.g., trauma and memory development, eyewitness testimony, metamemory), language development, emotional processes (e.g., emotion regulation, emotion understanding), social development (e.g., parent-child attachment, self esteem, conscience and moral development, prosocial behavior), public policy and child development (e.g., divorce, child maltreatment, welfare), and more.

Research/Training Opportunities

Our faculty members conduct experimental and longitudinal research, as well as research in field settings. Basic and applied research is encouraged. State-of-the-art instruction in quantitative methods for developmental scientists is also provided. Additional training opportunities are available through the multidisciplinary Human Development Graduate Group and faculty in the Department of Human and Community Development and the MIND (Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders) Institute.

Why UCDavis?

The city of Davis and the surrounding areas offer rich intellectual, cultural, and recreational opportunities. UC Davis sponsors a number of cultural events, including world-class performances, distinguished speakers, free summer concerts and innovative exhibits at galleries and museums. The campus is located about 15 miles from Sacramento (the state capital), roughly 50 miles from the beautiful Napa and Sonoma valleys (wine country), 72 miles from the cosmopolitan Bay Area (Berkeley and San Francisco) and about 150 miles from such spectacular resort and wilderness areas as Lake Tahoe and Yosemite. Northern California, including Davis, is known for its outstanding quality of life.