Prosocial Lab

Research Interests

• The Merrilees Prosocial Development research lab uses a developmental psychopathology framework to understand how individual characteristics, socialization experiences, and broader cultural influences interact to predict positive attitudes and behaviors toward others.
• We examine how processes such as social identity, empathy, emotion regulation, and social understanding shape prosocial behavior across the lifespan.
• For interested students, particularly those intending to apply for PhD programs, Dr. Merrilees provides opportunities for advanced training in data analysis and quantitative research methods.

Student Involvement

• Students can get experience in all phases of the research process, including research question and hypothesis generation, study development, active data collection, data analysis and write-up, and presentation.

Recruitment Opportunities

• Dr. Merrilees is currently accepting new research assistants on a rolling basis.
• Reach out to Dr. Merrilees via email if you are interested in joining the Prosocial lab.

Preferred Skills and Qualifications

• Dedicated; genuine interest in research content.
• Reading comprehension skills and the ability to synthesize new information into a coherent piece of writing.

Additional Comments

• “Students in my lab are successful if they have an interest in research and not just looking for experience working with kids. Data collection with children and families requires a strong commitment to the behind-the-scenes work, such as literature reviews, IRB proposals, and problem-solving with the broader team. Actual time with children and families is a small percentage of the overall work we do.”