Douglas Behrend, Ph.D.

Doug Behrend received his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1986 and was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Michigan. He has been with the University of Arkansas since 1989 and is currently celebrating his 30th year in the department. He is head of the WordPlay lab and teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in developmental psychology and related issues. Dr. Behrend has been conducting research in child development for over 20 years. His research interests have long included children’s word learning, and more recently children’s selective trust in speakers, children’s learning and sharing of privileged information, and children’s accent preferences.

I’m Christina Barnes and I’m a postdoctoral research assistant for the WordPlay Lab. I received my Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Arkansas in August 2024 and I’m glad I get to stay on with the lab for one more year. My dissertation focused on children’s Intellectual Humility and ways we may be able to change it. I’m passionate about how children learn and applying what we find out in our research to the field of education!

My name is Bri Jordan. I’m a graduate research assistant, and I recently graduated from Arkansas State University in May 2024 with a B.S. in Psychology. As I continue my education at the University of Arkansas, I am eager to grow as a researcher and expand my knowledge on cognitive development. I am thrilled to be part of this team as we explore new information and delve into exciting topics in our field.

My name is Remi Whitehead and I am an honors senior majoring in Psychology on the Pre-Occupational Therapy track. This is my third semester in the WordPlay Lab! I am excited to continue working on my honors thesis, which focuses on children’s perception of intonation and peer exclusion. My future goals include going to graduate school to earn a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy!

I am Bayley Raymond. I am a junior undergraduate student working towards my degree in psychology. After undergrad, I plan to attend graduate school and go into clinical psychology. The goal is to become a therapist for children in adverse circumstances. I am very interested in cognitive development and learning in children. This is my third semester in the WordPlay lab, and I am so excited to be part of this research team. 

Hi there! My name’s Margaret Mullins. I’m a senior with majors in Psychology and Sociology, as well as a minor in Human Development and Family Science. After my undergraduate, I plan to go to graduate school and pursue a career in child development research and promoting mental health support. I love working with and learning about children, and am so excited to work in this lab!

My name is Madeleine Johnson and I am a senior studying Psychology. After graduation I plan on continuing my studies and go on to be a Psychologist, working in a clinical setting, performing diagnostics and therapy with children and adolescents. This is my second semester in the WordPlay lab and I am excited to be a part of this year’s research!

Hi, my name is Briya Patel, and I’m a junior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Medical Humanities. This is my first semester in the WordPlay lab, and I’m excited to dive into research on cognitive development! I love learning and working with children, so I’m thrilled to be part of this lab. My future goals include attending medical school and completing a residency to become a pediatrician!