In the developmental psychology program, we study typical and a-typical cognitive development across the life-span: from infancy to senescence.
In the study of typical development, we focus on learning, decision-making, cognitive control, and capacities required at school, e.g. second language acquisition. In the study of a-typical development we investigate addiction, ADHD, mild to borderline intellectual disability, anxiety, and learning disabilities (dyslexia and math anxiety). The study of a-typical development addresses underlying mechanisms, optimal ways of assessment, as well as interventions.
In both research lines, we study social, affective, and motivational modulations of cognitive development. We have a strong focus on a) the relation between cognitive development and brain maturation; b) theoretical, computational, and statistical modeling of (neuro-)cognitive development; and c) a combination of fundamental research with practice-oriented work.
The developmental psychology research program has and is funded by several NWO innovative research schemes (VENI-VIDI-VICI), EU grants, by the research priority area Yield on the bio-ecology of human development, and by the NWO “Nationale Wetenschap Agenda”.