Derek E Montgomery

Derek E Montgomery is a Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Bradley University, where he has been a faculty member since 1993. He holds a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the University of Florida, awarded for dissertation research that received the APA Division 7 Dissertation Award. His academic responsibilities include teaching courses such as Principles of Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Experimental Psychology, and Cognitive Development.

Dr. Montgomery's research focuses on the intersection of language and cognitive development in early childhood, particularly how linguistic exposure shapes children's understanding of mental states (theory of mind), knowledge acquisition (epistemic cognition), and emotional processing. His work employs diverse methodologies including experimental tasks, meta-analyses, and observational studies of parent-child interactions.

Analysis of his publication history reveals consistent themes: theory of mind development across the lifespan (2024), linguistic influences on epistemic understanding (2023), mother-child mental state discourse (2022), and foundational work on executive function in preschoolers (2008-2014). His research progressively integrates developmental psychology with cognitive science, linguistics, and social neuroscience.

Awards and Recognition:

• APA Division 7 Dissertation Award

He mentors undergraduate research assistants in developmental testing, data coding, and conference presentations, with alumni advancing to graduate programs in school psychology, clinical psychology, cognitive science, and related fields. Institutional service includes committee roles and manuscript review for developmental psychology journals.