Nicholaus Noles

Nicholaus Noles, PhD, is an Associate Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Louisville. His research focuses on children's social-cognitive development, including how social categories (e.g., race, gender) shape perceptions of identity and bias. He leads the Knowledge in Development (KID) Lab and advises the Psi Chi Honor Society. Education: PhD in Psychology (Yale, 2008), B.S. in Psychology (UAB, 2002).

• Education:
  • PhD, Psychology, Yale University, 2008
  • B.S., Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2002

Research Interests: Dr. Noles explores how children learn social categories and hierarchies, including intersectionality, racism, and ownership concepts. His work bridges cognitive and social development to address biases and moral reasoning. Key themes include:

• Social Categories & Intersectionality: How children integrate multiple identities (e.g., race + gender).
• Racism/Sexism: Cognitive roots of bias and strategies for equity.
• Power & Status: How children perceive social hierarchies and authority.
• Ownership Concepts: Children's evolving understanding of property, gifts, and generosity.

Recent Article Trends: Recent work emphasizes intersectional approaches to bias, children’s use of social roles (e.g., parental authority), and ownership reasoning in preschoolers. Themes include fairness expectations, loyalty dynamics, and cross-cultural comparisons of historical persistence beliefs.

Advising & Labs: Advises the Psi Chi Honor Society and leads the KID Lab, focusing on child development projects. Teaches courses in cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, and experimental methods.