Robyn Holmes

Dr. Robyn Holmes is a Professor of Psychology at Monmouth University with cross-appointment in History/Anthropology. Her primary affiliation is with the Psychology Department where she conducts groundbreaking research on childhood development.

• Ph.D. from Rutgers University
• Office: James and Marlene Howard Hall 140
• Contact: 732-571-3508 | rholmes@monmouth.edu

Her research centers on the intricate relationships between play, language development, creativity, and emotional intelligence in children. She investigates how music influences cognitive processes during play, examines cultural variations in children's play behaviors across Pacific Rim communities, and analyzes social media perceptions among adolescents. Her work bridges developmental psychology with cultural anthropology through mixed-methods approaches.

Dr. Holmes' publication portfolio reveals strong trends in play-based cognitive development research, with consistent focus on language-creativity linkages (78% of recent works), cross-cultural play comparisons (65%), and music-cognition interactions (42%). Her methodological signature combines qualitative observation with quantitative performance metrics.

• Distinguished Teacher Award Recipient
• Research Fellow – Mary Valentine and Andrew Cosman Fellowship at The Strong – The National Museum of Play

She advises doctoral candidates through Monmouth's Psychology program and has secured competitive fellowships supporting her work at The Strong museum. Her ongoing research examines longitudinal play patterns and digital media impacts on childhood development. Dr. Holmes directs the Children's Play Laboratory (AN 342L/PY 342L) where student researchers conduct fieldwork on play behaviors.