David Sobel

David Sobel is a Professor of Cognitive and Psychological Sciences at Brown University, where he has served since 2001. His research focuses on children's causal reasoning, social cognition, and STEM learning in informal settings like museums. He holds a BA from Swarthmore College and an MA/PhD from UC Berkeley.

His work emphasizes the role of parent-child interactions in fostering STEM engagement and understanding. Recent studies explore inhibitory control mechanisms in belief inference and fairness judgments, as well as how museum exhibits shape exploratory behavior and causal learning. Sobel collaborates with institutions nationwide to bridge research and practice in educational settings.

Key themes in his publications include cognitive development, developmental psychology, and the integration of social interaction into learning processes. His research often highlights how children’s exploration and communication with caregivers influence their grasp of scientific concepts.

While no awards are explicitly listed, his extensive collaborations and publications reflect significant contributions to understanding early cognitive and social development.