DUCK Lab People
Research Directors
Janet
Dr. Janet Boseovski (B.Sc., University of Toronto; M.A., McGill University; Ph.D., Queen’s University) is a Professor in the Psychology Department and Co-Director of the DUCK Lab. Her research examines children’s understanding of the social world, including their impressions of others (e.g., judgments about personality, social status, wealth, and power). Recent work focuses on the development of body image and children’s understanding of nutritional needs. Together with co-author Dr. Ashleigh Gallagher, Janet has written a book on the development of body image in young girls. Written for mothers and maternal guardians, this is the first book to address how to equip girls to build a healthy body image beginning in early childhood. It can be pre-ordered here or here. See this Psychology Today blog, which addresses some of the topics covered in the book.
Janet’s research has been published in top professional academic journals and her work has been supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Jean Piaget Society and the Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee on the Board of Directors of the Greensboro Science Center. Janet also created “Crafts & Conversation,” a community-engaged event for children and families in the Greensboro community.
See her personal page for more information about her current research foci.
Dr. Stuart Marcovitch (B.Sc., McGill University; M.A., Ph.D., University of Toronto) is a Professor and Co-Director of the DUCK Lab. Broadly, his research focuses on how children learn to control their behavior in challenging circumstances, with an emphasis on the role of reflection.
Stuart’s research has been published in professional academic journals such as the Journal of Cognition and Development and Developmental Science, and his work has been supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. He was recently the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Cognitive Development and is currently the president of the Jean Piaget Society. In his spare time, he cheers for ill-fated sports teams, enjoys fine foods, and really enjoys not-so-fine foods.
Dr. Jessica Caporaso (B.S., High Point University; M.A., UNCG; Ph.D., UNCG) is an Academic Professional Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department and Co-Director of the DUCK Lab. Jessica’s research interests include the development of cognitive control, social competence, moral understanding, and the relations between the three. In addition, Jessica leads the research team that works in collaboration with the Greensboro Science Center and is interested in understanding how children learn and interact with others in informal learning environments.
Jessica’s research has been published in professional academic journals such as Infant and Child Development and Cognitive Development. She serves on the board of the Jean Piaget Society as the Emerging Scholars Representative. She is also "PsyAdvise" - the person in charge of undergraduate advising within the department. When she is not answering advising emails, Jessica can be found doing puzzles with her husband or beating him in Scrabble, sorting an endless amount of legos with her 6-year-old son, honing her British accent while reading Peppa Pig books with her 2-year-old daughter, or snuggling with her dog while reading a book (this makes her sound smart, but rest assured, her books of choice are not considered “sophisticated”).
Graduate Students
Brandi McDonald (B.S., University of Houston) is a third-year graduate student in the DUCK Lab and the Cognition, Learning, and Memory Lab. Brandi’s research interests include counterfactual/supernatural beliefs, the intersection of religiosity and cognitive abilities, skill, videogames, and tabletop role-playing games. If you are a parent interested in Brandi’s religious development study, click here! In her spare time, Brandi enjoys losing in competitive video games and baking more than she can eat.
Julie Peebles (B.A., B.F.A., UNCG) is a second-year graduate student. Her research interests focus on children’s development of adaptive body image, with particular interest in the convergence of middle childhood and aesthetic sports. She is specifically interested in how dance training might promote body appreciation and functionality appreciation, and how positive and negative body image constructs may coexist or conflict within the dance context. Additional research interests of hers include self-concept, athletic identification, and social and environmental influences such as instructors, peers, and intensity of training. Outside of her scholarship, Julie continues performing with local contemporary and ballet choreographers in the Greensboro area.
Maddy
Madalyn Prince (B.A., Boston College, M.A., John Jay College of Criminal Justice) is the lab manager and a third-year graduate student in the lab. Madalyn's primary research interest includes children’s perceptions of different body types, with a specific focus on muscularity. She is particularly interested in how these judgments develop in the context of gender; specifically how children learn and endorse gendered body ideals. In her free time, Madalyn likes to run, hike, read, and spend time with friends.
Taylor
Taylor Wood (B.A., University of California, Davis) is a third-year graduate student. Her research interests include the development of social group preferences, trait reasoning, and children's reasoning about social inequalities. In her free time, Taylor likes to read, travel, and spend time with friends and family.
Researcher Assistants
Abigail Cheek is a senior at UNCG. She is majoring in Psychology with a minor in American Sign Language. She has experience working with children in daycare, babysitting, and tutoring settings. She likes to read and spend time with friends and family in her free time.
Alana M.
Alana Martinez is a senior at UNCG, majoring in B.A Psychology. After graduation, she aims to attend the UNCG Counseling School for her masters and become a school counselor for elementary or middle school. In her free time she enjoys painting, hanging out with friends/family, and volunteering.
Bianca Gregory is a senior at UNCG. She is majoring in Psychology with an interest in clinical and developmental psychology. After graduation she plans on going to graduate school to pursue a Ph.D. and to conduct research. She enjoys reading and going on hikes.
Isabella Ellis is a Junior at UNCG. They are pursuing a B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Music. After graduation, they hope to pursue a career in Adolescent Counseling and hope to further explore developmental research. In their free time, they enjoy getting coffee with friends, watching Survivor, singing, and practicing the bass guitar.
Jessie S.
Jessie Shipley is a Senior at UNCG. She is majoring in psychology while also participating as a member of the softball team. Her specific interests include sport psychology and social psychology. More specifically, she is interested in how pressures of sport affect performance and how societal expectations affect relationships and behavior. After graduation she plans to pursue a master’s in applied sport psychology. Some of her hobbies include exercising, reading, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.
Kelechi C.
Kelechi Chukwuemeka is a sophomore at UNCG. He is majoring in Psychology. He has some experience working with children in school settings. After graduation, he hopes to attend law school. Kelechi likes to watch historical videos, and drink ice cold water.
Nate T.
Nate Tyler is a junior at UNCG. He is pursuing an undergrad degree in psychology with a focus in mental health counseling, and in the future he hopes to further his studies and become a licensed counselor to provide therapy services to clients. In his free time he enjoys playing Pokémon and watching television.
