Rebecca Waller

Rebecca Waller is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Her work focuses on socioemotional development, child psychopathology, and personality development, particularly examining how environmental contexts interact with genetic risks to influence antisocial behavior and related traits like callous-unemotional behaviors. She uses advanced methodologies including fMRI, DTI, and twin/adoption designs. Her research aims to inform prevention and intervention strategies for antisocial behavior.

Education:

• BA in Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford
• MSc in Evidence-Based Social Intervention, University of Oxford
• PhD (DPhil) in Social Intervention, University of Oxford

Research Interests:

• Developmental origins of antisocial behavior
• Callous-unemotional traits and empathy
• Genetic and environmental interactions in psychopathology
• Brain structure/function correlates of behavior
• Resilience in high-risk families

Lab: Director of the EDEN Lab, which employs multi-method approaches to study social, emotional, and behavioral development. Current projects include a lifespan approach to mental health and interventions targeting disruptive childhood behaviors.

Advising: Supervises graduate students focused on computational linguistics/AI in psychiatry, EEG, and physiological systems related to externalizing psychopathology.