Teaching Talk Title: Cognition in Context: Exploring the Interlinkages Among Adolescent Cognitive Development and Culture

Abstract: Adolescence is a profoundly critical period for development. It is during this time that youth begin to engage in abstract reasoning and reflect on their identities and place in the world. But these cognitive transformations do not unfold in isolation. Rather, they are deeply shaped by the sociocultural ecosystems in which adolescents are embedded. This lecture will examine how culture shapes adolescent cognition through multiple levels of influence, drawing on ecological, developmental systems, and intersectional theories. Together, we will explore how context and culture are not peripheral to cognition, but central to understanding how young people learn, think, and adapt.

Research Talk Title: Economic Disadvantage and Learning: Implications for Human Development

Abstract: Economic disadvantage is not always indexed by income alone; its psychological and developmental consequences often emerge through less visible dimensions such as perceived scarcity, instability, and lack of social support. Drawing on developmental systems theory and the psychology of poverty framework, this talk will unpack how these implicit stressors can influence everyday learning and cognitive functioning. Highlighting research with children and adults, it will also address how context-specific adaptive capacities can often emerge under constraint. Finally, we will unpack the implications of economic disadvantage for human development, with a focus on capacity-building and strengthening interdisciplinary understandings of learning in context.

About the Speaker: Jayantika Chakraborty is a PhD candidate in developmental psychology at Clark University, where she holds the Monte Bliss Fellowship and the Frances L. Hiatt Fellowship in psychology. She holds a master's degree in developmental psychology from Clark University and a master's degree in clinical psychology from West Bengal State University, where she was a gold medallist. Her research focus is on children and youth's perceptions of economic disadvantage, the psychology of poverty alleviation, and global educational disparities. Her research has been funded and awarded by the Eastern Psychological Association, Psi Chi, and the Society For The Psychological Study of Social Issues.