Meet Jamie Amemiya of psychology, a developmental psychologist interested in the development of social cognition as it relates to how children and adults think about and respond to societal problems.
Assistant Professor of Psychology Jamie Amemiya comes to Occidental from the University of Chicago, where she was a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow. She has an M.S. and Ph.D. in developmental psychology from the University of Pittsburgh and a B.S. in biological science with a minor in psychology from UC Irvine. Amemiya is a developmental psychologist interested in the development of social cognition as it relates to how children and adults think about and respond to societal problems. Her current research interests include how children and adults reason about the causes of social inequality, how they represent social categories and societal hierarchies, and their reasoning about why people disagree.
What attracted you to Occidental?
Occidental provides a unique opportunity for both teaching and conducting research. I was especially excited that I would able to teach small classes, where much deeper learning can happen. I also felt a sense of genuine connection among the faculty and students during my visit and was excited to join this community.
Midway through your first semester, what are your impressions of Oxy students?
Oxy students are incredibly thoughtful and engaged! One of my favorite things about teaching so far is hearing students’ responses to research that I am very familiar with. My students give me a fresh perspective and raise questions that challenge my own thinking.
Where does your interest in developmental psychology come from?
I have always enjoyed working with children. Initially, I thought about becoming a pediatrician or child therapist. But once I got research experience, I found that I loved the idea of asking questions that hadn’t been addressed before and realized that research in developmental psychology was a great fit.
Do you have a favorite class that you are teaching, and why?
I have been lucky to teach two classes on topics that I am especially passionate about—developmental psychology and adolescence. I love to show students how we can study topics such as the development of stereotyping in childhood using the scientific method. It has been fun to see what new ideas they come up with as they learn the creative ways that we can gain insight into children’s developing minds.