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Undergraduate
- Major in Human Development and Family Studies
- Associate Degree in Human Development and Family Studies
- Minor in Human Development and Family Studies
- Honors Study in Human Development and Family Studies
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Research
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Research Expertise
- Areas of Specialization
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Cross Cutting Themes of Research
- Adolescence and Young Adulthood
- Child Maltreatment
- Cognitive Health
- Computational Methods for Developmental Systems Models
- Determinants and Promotion of Well-Being
- Development and Family Processes in International Contexts
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Family Systems and Processes
- Gender and Development
- Health and Family Processes
- Healthy Aging
- Influences of Stress on Development and Aging
- Longitudinal Methodologies/Designs for Studying Change and Variability
- Parenting, Parent-Child Relations, and Child Outcomes
- Socio-Cultural and Economic Diversity
- Substance Use
- Work and Family
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Research Labs and Initiatives
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- Methodology Consulting Center
- Quantitative Developmental Systems
- Study of Healthy Aging and Applied Research Programs
- Child Brain Development Lab
- Infant and Child Temperament Lab
- PA Twin Registry
- Project SIESTA
- Family Relationships Project
- Daily Stress and Health Study
- University Life Study
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Meet the Director
Cynthia Stifter, Professor of Human Development and Psychology
Ph.D., 1987, Human Development, University of Maryland
Cynthia (Cindy) Stifter is Professor of Human Development and Psychology. She earned her Ph.D. in Human Development from the University of Maryland. She also has a MSW degree from the University of Maryland School of Social Work and Community Planning in Baltimore. Dr. Stifter has served on several federal panels and editorial boards. Most recently she served as Associate Editor of the journal of Child Development. When Dr. Stifter is not busy doing research with children you can usually catch her outdoors, running, biking, kayaking or hiking.
Research Interests
Socio-emotional development in early childhood, specifically how temperament, its physiological bases, and the parenting environment each and together contributes to the development of mental and physical health. Current projects include a study on childhood obesity and a study on how children’s positive affect influences other areas of development including emotion regulation and curiosity.
Teaching Interests
Infant and child development; socio-emotional development; temperament; the development of regulatory processes
Contact Information
308 HHD-East Building
814-863-7963
tvr@psu.edu
Cynthia Stifter faculty web page
