Research Topics
Understanding Social and Moral development
Research in the Mind & Morality Lab focuses on the foundations of human moral and social cognition, with a particular emphasis on how these processes develop in childhood. Her work explores questions such as: Do children have an early-emerging sense of morality, fairness, and justice? How do these moral concepts develop and evolve across different cultures and social contexts? To address these questions, she conducts experimental research with children aged 4 to 12, employing a cross-cultural lens to examine both universal patterns and cultural variations. In addition to her work with children, Julia also extends her research to adult populations to trace the developmental trajectory of moral and social understanding.
1. How do children respond to wrongdoing?
Children encounter moral transgressions from an early age, whether through personal experiences or by observing others. We investigate how children react to different forms of wrongdoing, including norm violations, harm, and unfairness. Do they prefer punishment, reconciliation, or other forms of justice? How do these responses change across development and cultural contexts?
3. To whom do children extend moral concern?
From family and friends to strangers, animals, and even abstract entities, children’s moral circles evolve as they grow. Our research examines the boundaries of children’s moral concern—who they care about, who they believe deserves protection, and how these beliefs develop across cultures and contexts.
5. What cognitive mechanisms support the development of prosocial behavior?
Helping, sharing, and cooperation require a complex interplay of cognitive processes. We investigate how foundational abilities—such as theory of mind, executive function, memory, and causal reasoning—contribute to prosocial decision-making. By understanding these underlying mechanisms, we gain insight into how and why prosociality emerges and varies across individuals and cultures.
2. How do social factors shape children’s cooperative behavior?
Cooperation is essential for navigating social life, but not all interactions are the same. We study how factors like social group membership, kinship, and social hierarchy influence children’s willingness to share, help, and collaborate. Are children more likely to cooperate with those they perceive as similar or close to them? How do these biases emerge and shift over time?
4. How can we use citizen science to better characterize social behavior?
Traditional lab studies offer deep insights into social development, but they often rely on small, WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic) samples. We explore how large-scale, citizen science approaches—such as online games, interactive experiments, and community-based research—can provide a broader, more ecologically valid understanding of social behavior in children and adults.