Current Research

Prenatal Gender Study

The goal of this study is to determine whether and how expecting parents change their perceptions of their child once they learn the child's sex.

Child Rights Study

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child sets forth a variety of rights that the UN thinks should be guaranteed to children worldwide. This study will examine people's support for adopting those rights.

Cross-cultural Study of Attitudes towards Vegetarianism and Hunting

This study examines attitudes towards vegetarianism. Since Marquette has a strong focus on hunting, attitudes towards vegetarianism are expected to be less positive than in areas with less focus on hunting. These attitudes will be assessed using a survey that contains questions about attitudes towards vegetarianism and hunting. We will also give this survey to people outside of Marquette, at locations to be determined later. Possibilities include Berkeley, CA and Portland, OR. We are also considering doing the study internationally.

Publications

• Sen, M. G., Yonas, A., & Knill, D. C. (2001). Development of infants' sensitivity to surface contour information for spatial layout. Perception, 30, 167-176.
• Stennes, L. M., Burch, M. M., Sen, M. G., & Bauer, P. J. (2005). A longitudinal study of gendered vocabulary and communicative action in young children. Developmental Psychology, 41, 75-88.
• Eichstedt, J. A., Serbin, L. A., Poulin-Dubois, D., & Sen, M. G. (2002). Of bears and men: Infants’ knowledge of conventional and metaphorical gender stereotypes. Infant Behavior & Development, 25, 296-310.
• Poulin-Dubois, D., Serbin, L. A., Eichstedt, J. A., Sen, M. G., & Beissel, C. F. (2002). Men don't put on make-up: Toddlers' knowledge of the gender stereotyping of household activities. Social Development, 11, 166-181.
• Serbin, L. A., Poulin-Dubois, D., Colburne, K. A., Sen, M. G., & Eichstedt, J. A. (2001). Gender stereotyping in infancy: Visual preferences for and knowledge of gender-stereotyped toys in the second year. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 25, 7-15.
• Powlishta, K. K., Sen, M. G., Serbin, L. A., Poulin-Dubois, D., & Eichstedt, J. A. (2001). From infancy through middle childhood: The role of cognitive and social factors in becoming gendered. In R. K. Unger (Ed.), The Handbook of the Psychology of Women and Gender (pp. 116-132). New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.