The CDSC Lab
Read about us below!
Principal Investigator
MARJORIE RHODES
Professor of Psychology
Website: http://www.psych.nyu.edu/rhodes
Email: marjorie dot rhodes at nyu dot edu
CV: click here
My research examines conceptual development and the development of social cognition. In conceptual development, my work focuses on categorization: How do children categorize different kinds of objects? Does category structure vary by domain? How do children use categories to guide their inferences and behavior? How does information about within-category variability influence individuals' concepts? In the development of social cognition, my work examines how children categorize people, as well as the implication of social categories for children's behavior, social inference, and moral cognition.
Professional Research Staff
JULIA JOHNSON
Lab Manager
Email: jrj368 at nyu dot edu
I recently graduated from the University of Connecticut with a B.A. in Cognitive Science and minors in film studies, linguistics, and French. I am interested in children’s perceptions of their own social relationships and the development of pragmatic competence. In my free time, I love thrifting, watching horror movies, and exploring new places in the city.
Graduate Students
MOHIT MUKHERJI
PhD Student
Email: mohit dot mukherji at nyu dot edu
I graduated from Temple University in 2022 with a BA in Psychology and Philosophy. I’m interested in semantic and conceptual development, in particular the development of logical concepts in early childhood. I am also interested in how language interacts with other core aspects of nonlinguistic cognition.
MEGHAN KALVEY
PhD Student
Email: mk8439 at nyu dot edu
I graduated from Watson Institute at Lynn University in 2022 with a B.S. in Social Entrepreneurship. A unique combination of experiences during my undergraduate study—developing a mindfulness app prototype, researching a city’s socio-economic preparedness for B-corps, and researching the impact of herbicides on GABA-A receptors—helped consolidate my interest in research and human psychology. After spending some time at NYU as a General Psychology Master’s student, I’m excited to be pursuing a PhD in Psychology. Broadly, I’m interested in how people learn and think about social groups and structures. Outside of the lab, I enjoy seeking new experiences with friends, sport climbing, and learning artsy skills.
SOPHIE ARNOLD
PhD Student
Email: sophie dot arnold at nyu dot edu
After graduating from University of Chicago in 2018 with a BA in Psychology and Economics, and working at Yale University as a lab manager for 2 years, I am excited to be pursuing a doctoral degree at NYU with the CDSC lab. I am interested in how children think about and learn about social categories like gender and race. In particular, I am interested in how information from parents and social environments like their neighborhoods shape children’s beliefs about social categories. Outside of the lab, I enjoy playing rugby and reading science fiction and fantasy.
Post-Doctoral Research Fellows
CYNTHIA BOO
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Email: cynthia dot boo at nyu dot edu
I received my PhD in Developmental Psychology and a graduate certificate in Cognitive Sciences from the University of Connecticut. I am broadly interested in the role of language in social development. My dissertation investigated how the use of certain linguistic devices (e.g., pronouns, linguistic alignment, discourse markers) contributed to school-aged children’s perceptions of their friendship quality. I look to apply the same methods of conversational analysis to the study of children’s development of social categories by considering the role of language in caregiver-child discourse. Outside of the lab, I enjoy cooking, and all things related to true crime.
MARIANNA ZHANG
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Email: marianna dot zhang at nyu dot edu
I'm interested in how children reason about social categories and social structures. I received my PhD in developmental psychology from Stanford University, where I worked with Ellen Markman on characterizing consequences of children's structural thinking. I attended the University of Chicago for my undergraduate, where I worked with Daniel Casasanto and Susan Goldin-Meadow. Outside of work, I can be found climbing, caving, and attending theater.
JARED VASIL
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Email: jared dot vasil at nyu dot edu
I earned a PhD in Psychology from Duke University (Tomasello Lab). I study communication and cognition in young children. How do conceptual skills structure communication? And how does communication structure conceptualization? I use experiments and computer models to investigate these questions. Outside the lab, I enjoy reading, rock climbing, and running.
Research Assistants
Undergraduate
MAIA ARRIOLA
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Hi, I’m Maia, a senior at NYU double majoring in Applied Psychology and Global Public Health on the pre-med track. Coming from a mixed background, I've always been deeply interested in how psychological development is shaped by culture and context. I am particularly drawn to understanding how children categorize social groups— such as gender—and how these categories shape self-concept, behavior, and motivation, across development. Beyond academics, I enjoy cooking, trying new restaurants, long walks, and hanging out with my friends.
ANIKA BAJPAI
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Hi! I’m currently an undergraduate at NYU majoring in Anthropology and double minoring in CAMS and Global Public Health. I am especially curious about how culture and social environments interact with children’s growth, resilience and development. I enjoy a lot of hands-on, experiential work with children and I hope to pursue my PhD in clinical psychology in the future. Along with my academic interests, I also enjoy making clay miniatures, watching horror movies, and baking crème brûlées.
KYLA PETERS
Undergraduate Research Assistant
I am a fourth-year undergraduate with an individualized major at the intersection of psychology/psychoanalysis, the humanities, and child/adolescent mental health studies. I am fascinated by the ways early experiences shape thought, emotion, and behavior in children, and how these foundational patterns ripple through development, shaping the trajectories of their inner worlds. Outside of the lab, I enjoy making art and cooking new recipes.
NANDINI SINGLA
Undergraduate Research Assistant
I’m an undergraduate student in Psychology and Neural Science at NYU CAS. I have been working with children for the past 5–6 years across different settings, and I am particularly interested in research and its applications in the education sector. I’m drawn not only to understanding how children think and behave, but also to exploring ways to improve society for them. Outside of academics, I enjoy listening to music and spending time with animals.
CRISTINA VILLENA
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Hi! I'm a senior at NYU CAS studying psychology. I am particularly interested in cognitive neuroscience and developmental psychology with a focus on working with children from diverse backgrounds. I am also passionate about working within quantitative psychology, using data and programming to figure out specific interventions and uncovering new meaningful insights. I hope to pursue my masters in the future in global mental health and work for companies like UNICEF. Outside of academics, I enjoy traveling (30 countries visited) skiing, and playing soccer!
JESSIE WERTHMAN
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Hi! I am Jessie, currently a senior in the Applied Psychology Program at NYU Steinhardt. As a woman in STEM and on the pre-med track, I am particularly interested in the emergence of gender stereotypes. I aspire to uncover how these stereotypes are formed and explore ways to reduce their implementation at a young age to inspire children without the confines of these stereotypes. Outside the lab, I compete on the NYU softball team and enjoy live music and the beach!
MONICA YU
Undergraduate Research Assistant
I’m an undergraduate at New York University double-majoring in Psychology and Economics. I’m interested in early cognitive and social–emotional development—how children form concepts, learn social categories, and use language to understand the world. I plan to pursue graduate study in developmental psychology. Outside the lab, I love dogs, rock climbing, and oil painting.
ALAN ZHANG
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Hi! I'm currently an undergraduate at NYU CAS, majoring in Psychology. I am most interested in Developmental Psychology and learning about how growing minds perceive the world around them. I'm also interested in exploring the influence of education and how different styles affect the development of children around the world. In my spare time, I love rooting for my favorite sports teams, binging shows, and eating my way through NYC.
LAUREN CARON
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Hi! I am currently an undergraduate NYU student majoring in Psychology on the pre-med track. I am particularly interested in social and developmental psychology, particularly how early childhood experiences shape the way people view stereotypes and create biases that influence decision making. I am also interested in exploring mood and personality disorders. In my free time, I enjoy going to the beach, trying new restaurants, and watching horror movies.
NEELA RAO
Undergraduate Research Assistant
I’m a senior at NYU CAS majoring in Neural Science and minoring in Psychology and South Asian Studies. With experiences working with children in academic, medical, and behavioral settings, I know that I am truly drawn to the way that children think and behave. Specifically, I’m interested in both physiological and psychological aspects of how they navigate the world and people around them, forming relationships and opinions they carry into adolescence and beyond. In the future I hope to earn my PhD in Clinical Psychology and continue doing research while also being a clinician. In my free time, I love playing piano, making art, and indulging in reality TV!
YIJUN ZHOU
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Hi! I’m a current undergraduate student majoring in Applied Psychology with a minor in Linguistics. As a bilingual, I’ve experienced and remain deeply interested in how language leaves a unique imprint on human cognition, shaping the way we perceive and understand the world. Outside the lab, I enjoy spending time with my foster cat, exploring the city, and listening to true crime podcasts.