Sabine Doebel

Sabine Doebel is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at George Mason University, leading the Developing Minds Lab. Her research focuses on executive function development in children, exploring how cognitive control, self-regulation, and play shape goal-directed behavior. She holds a PhD from the University of Minnesota and completed postdoctoral work at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Dr. Doebel’s work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, examining executive function’s role in social, behavioral, and academic outcomes. She advocates for open science practices to enhance reproducibility and accessibility in developmental research. Her research spans topics like play’s cognitive benefits, cultural influences on self-control, and gender differences in task persistence.

Key contributions include meta-analyses of executive function measures, critiques of replication studies (e.g., revisiting the Marshmallow Test), and investigations into how home environments and activities impact child development. Her lab’s work is funded by the National Institutes of Health and NSF initiatives promoting open science.

Dr. Doebel supervises graduate students, including Nicole Stucke, and actively communicates research through TEDx talks, media engagement, and collaborative projects. She prioritizes translating findings into practical insights for education and parenting practices.