Joan Peskin

Biography

Joan Peskin's research interests involve a diverse range of topics with the following questions at their core: How do we represent knowledge? What is its developmental progression, and what are the social and educational implications? One set of topics involves theory of mind, in particular, the socio-cognitive and educational implications of young children's developing ability to represent other people's mental states (i.e., beliefs, desires, emotions, intentions). She is now focusing on 5- to 8-year-olds' theory of mind in their early literacy. A critical component of literacy is the ability to take one's reader's background knowledge - or lack of knowledge - into account in one's written or dictated compositions. Peskin's lab is currently involved in examining the developing awareness of one's reader's knowledge state. It is also investigating what appears to be a powerful intervention to foster such awareness, particularly among vulnerable populations (High-functioning autism, Asperger's Syndrome and ADHD). A second set of topics involves research on the development of poetic literacy. She has examined the developing ability to read poetry; the ways in which educators can foster metaphoric thinking; and is now investigating developing expertise in the writing of poetry (published poets versus novice poets). Peskin's applied interests are the application of developmental psychology to education; the melding of cognitive science and literary theory, and its effect on teaching literature. Joan Peskin's research interests involve a diverse range of topics with the following questions at their core: How do we represent knowledge? What is its developmental progression, and what are the social and educational implications? One set of topics involves theory of mind, in particular, the socio-cognitive and educational implications of young children's developing ability to represent other people's mental states (i.e., beliefs, desires, emotions, intentions). She is now focusing on 5- to 8-year-olds' theory of mind in their early literacy. A critical component of literacy is the ability to take one's reader's background knowledge - or lack of knowledge - into account in one's written or dictated compositions. Peskin's lab is currently involved in examining the developing awareness of one's reader's knowledge state. It is also investigating what appears to be a powerful intervention to foster such awareness, particularly among vulnerable populations (High-functioning autism, Asperger's Syndrome and ADHD). A second set of topics involves research on the development of poetic literacy. She has examined the developing ability to read poetry; the ways in which educators can foster metaphoric thinking; and is now investigating developing expertise in the writing of poetry (published poets versus novice poets). Peskin's applied interests are the application of developmental psychology to education; the melding of cognitive science and literary theory, and its effect on teaching literature.

Research Interest

Applied Psychology and Human Development