معرفی
Deborah Kelemen is Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences at Boston University, where she directs the Child Cognition Laboratory. Her research examines conceptual development across domains including intuitive theory formation, moral cognition, and science education. She investigates how children develop frameworks to understand the natural and social world, with particular focus on teleological reasoning and biological essentialism.
Kelemen's work explores how early-emerging cognitive biases influence reasoning about nature's purpose and design, and how these intuitions persist into adulthood. Her research program bridges developmental psychology with science education, creating interventions to improve evolution understanding and environmental attitudes. Current projects examine the cognitive foundations of moral judgments about environmental issues and human purpose.
Through extensive experimental studies, Kelemen analyzes how children and adults conceptualize biological traits, environmental relationships, and complex scientific mechanisms. Her educational research develops storybook curricula to foster accurate scientific understanding while addressing persistent misconceptions.
