Elif Isbell

Elif Isbell is an Assistant Professor of Developmental Psychology at the University of California, Merced, affiliated with the School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Arts and the Psychological Sciences Department. Her research focuses on how socioeconomic status (SES) influences cognitive and neural development, particularly in early childhood and adulthood. She uses event-related potentials (ERP) to study attention mechanisms, executive function, and neuroplasticity in diverse populations.

Her work explores reciprocal relationships between cognitive control and academic achievement, with emphasis on intervention strategies for underserved populations. Key topics include the developmental trajectories of ERP indices of cognitive control, the impact of maternal behavior on neural inhibition systems, and the role of genetic factors like the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism in selective attention.

Isbell directs the IDEA Research Lab (Investigating Development, Attention, and Experience), which examines how environmental and biological factors shape cognitive development. Notable findings include links between childhood SES and adult brain electrophysiology, and the efficacy of family-based training programs in improving neural and behavioral outcomes for low-SES preschoolers.

Her research spans 2013 to present, with over 15 peer-reviewed articles in developmental psychology and cognitive neuroscience. Current work emphasizes longitudinal studies of neurocognitive development and methodological improvements for ERP data quality in pediatric populations.