General Research Interests
David Bjorklund's research interests are in the areas of cognitive development and evolutionary developmental psychology. Research projects conducted in his lab include memory development; children's developing afterlife beliefs; tool use and style of play in preschool children; children’s altruism and other aspects of social-cognitive development; the effect of children’s immature features on adult thinking and behavior. Related scholarly interests include issues of the possible role of development in human cognitive evolution and the establishment of evolutionary developmental psychology as a subdiscipline within psychology.
Prospective Memory
Prospective memory is a form of memory that involves remembering to perform a planned action or intention at the appropriate time. Prospective memory tasks are highly prevalent in daily life and range from relatively simple tasks to extreme life-or-death situations. Examples of simple tasks include remembering to put the toothpaste cap back on, remembering to reply to an email or remembering to return a rented movie. Examples of highly important situations include a patient remembering to take medication or a pilot remembering to perform specific safety procedures during a flight.
Adaptive Nature of Cognitive Immaturity
Perceptions of maturational status may play an important role in facilitating caretaking and resources towards children expressing them. Previous work has revealed evidence that cues of cognitive immaturity foster positive perceptions in adults towards young children at a time during their lives when they are most dependent on adult care.
For more information:
Periss, V., Hernández Blasi, C., & Bjorklund, D. F. (2012). Cognitive “babyness”: Developmental differences in the power of young children’s supernatural thinking to influence positive and negative affect. Developmental Psychology, 48, 1203-1214.
Bjorklund, D. F., Hernández Blasi, C., & Periss, V. (2010). Lorenz revisited: The adaptive nature of children’s supernatural thinking. Human Nature, 21, 371-392.
For more information:
Periss, V., Hernández Blasi, C., & Bjorklund, D. F. (2012). Cognitive “babyness”: Developmental differences in the power of young children’s supernatural thinking to influence positive and negative affect. Developmental Psychology, 48, 1203-1214.
Bjorklund, D. F., Hernández Blasi, C., & Periss, V. (2010). Lorenz revisited: The adaptive nature of children’s supernatural thinking. Human Nature, 21, 371-392.