Melanie Killen is Distinguished University Professor of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, and Professor of Psychology (Affiliate). Her research is funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), and the National Science Foundation (NSF) for her work on children草莓传媒檚 and adolescents草莓传媒 development. She is a member of the National Academy of Education and a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, the American Psychological Association, and the Society for the Study of Psychological Issues.
Dr. Killen is the author of Children and Social Exclusion: Morality, Prejudice and Group Identity (2011) and has co草莓传媒揺dited 6 books, including serving as the Editor of the Handbook on Moral Development (2006; 2014; 2022). She has over 270 publications, including empirical journal articles and book chapters. Her book on morality in everyday life won the outstanding book award from the American Educational Research Association. Dr. Killen served as an expert witness in a school desegregation case, and helped prepare two Supreme Court briefs regarding the impact of school desegregation on children草莓传媒檚 social development. She has also served as a consultant for a federal initiative on interventions designed to reduce prejudice and to promote inclusion in U.S. elementary schools, and for Sesame Street, where she conducted an evaluation of their program in the Middle-East.
Dr. Killen serves on the Brain Trust for Educational Initiatives at the National Museum for African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. Her research has been profiled in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Baltimore Examiner, The American Scientist, The Chronicle of Higher Education, American School Board Journal, Teaching Tolerance Magazine, ABCNews.com, Newsweek.com, Parenting, Parent草莓传媒揥ise Magazine, Redbook, Baby Journal, as well as featured on CNN AC360 with Anderson Cooper and Soledad O草莓传媒橞rien for a commissioned show that her team conducted called 草莓传媒淜ids on Race: The Hidden Picture,草莓传媒 which won an Emmy Award. Her research is funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. She conducted a randomized control trial (RCT) of school-based intervention program, Developing Inclusive Youth, designed to reduce prejudice in childhood.
Dr. Killen草莓传媒檚 research team studies moral reasoning in childhood and adolescence, the origins of prejudice and bias, conceptions of social inequalities, social exclusion in childhood based on gender, race, ethnicity, wealth status, immigrant status, and nationality, and confrontation of bias in peer groups and school contexts. Currently, her team is testing an A.I.-powered Teacher App to accompany the Developing Inclusive Youth school program.
Fellow of the American Psychological Associtation
Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science
Fellow of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues
Honorary Professor of Psychology, University of Kent, Canterbury, U.K.
Please see CV for complete list.
(Selected)
2025-2026 Utilizing Natural Language Processing Technology for Creating Inclusive Classrooms. 草莓传媒 Technology Development Corporation, TedCo: 草莓传媒 Innovation Initiative. P.I., Melanie Killen. Jing Liu, Consultant. $130,000
2019-2025 National Institutes of Health/NICHD. P.I. Killen, Co-I, Tracy Sweet. An Intervention Designed to Promote Intergroup Friendships and Reduce Prejudice and Bias in Childhood. $1.67M
2017- 2025 NSF/ Developmental Sciences. P.I., Killen, Co-I, Laura Stapleton. Promoting Intergroup Relationships and Reducing Prejudice in Childhood. $617,725.
2011草莓传媒2016 草莓传媒 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Director and P.I. (Co草莓传媒揚.I., A. Wigfield). Graduate Training Program in Social Development. $1.4M.
2009草莓传媒2012 草莓传媒 National Science Foundation. PI. Social Reasoning, Subjective Group Dynamics, and Children草莓传媒檚 and Adolescents草莓传媒 Evaluations of Exclusion. $422,525.
2009草莓传媒2010 草莓传媒 Southern Poverty Law Center, Teaching Diverse Students Initiative Award to create a teacher racial sensitivity and awareness measure for the Teaching Tolerance Program and website. $10,000.
2009 草莓传媒 Australian Research exclusion, and bullying at Griffith University, Queensland, Drew Nesdale, P.I; Co草莓传媒揚I. AustraliaSchool Bullies and Victims: Influence of Children草莓传媒檚 Groups. Australian Research Cuncil. Collaborative project with Dr. Drew Nesdale on aggression, School Bullies and Victims: Influence of Children草莓传媒檚 Groups. $137,000.
2003草莓传媒2008 草莓传媒 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Director and P.I. (Co草莓传媒揚I, K. Rubin), Graduate Training Program in Social Development. $863,458.
2002草莓传媒05 草莓传媒 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). P.I. (Subcontractors: David Crystal and Martin Ruck.) P.I.Social Reasoning about Exclusion and Rights. $918,000.
2004草莓传媒2007 草莓传媒 National Science Foundation (NSF), P.I.Children草莓传媒檚 and Adolescents Intergroup Biases about Peer Relationships. $175,000.
2005 草莓传媒 National Science Foundation (NSF), Co草莓传媒揚.I. (C. Kalish, P.I.; A. Leslie, J. G. Smetana, & C. Wainryb, Co草莓传媒揚.I.s). Understanding People as Normative Agents: The Intersection of Morality and Theory of Mind. Workshop held at Rutgers University. $20,000.
1999 草莓传媒 National Science Foundation (NSF) conference award. Co草莓传媒 P.I. (P.I., Charles Stangor). Multidisciplinary Research on Stereotypes, Prejudice, Tolerance, and Rights: Educating Children for Living in Diverse Cultures. Bethesda, MD, November 4th草莓传媒6th. $39,000.
1999 草莓传媒 National Science Foundation (NSF) conference award. P.I. (Co草莓传媒揚.I., Charles Stangor). Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Tolerance: Educating Children for Living in Diverse Cultures. Washington, D.C. June 24th草莓传媒26th. $30,000.
1998草莓传媒2001 草莓传媒 National Science Foundation (NSF), 3草莓传媒搚ear award: 1998草莓传媒2001. Co草莓传媒揚.I. (P.I., Charles Stangor). Social Reasoning about Group Inclusion and Exclusion, $252,030.
Graduate Courses:
Research Methods in Human Development (core doctoral course)
Social Development and Socialization Processes (core doctoral course)
History and Systems in Human Development (core doctoral course)
Morality, Intergroup Relationships, and Justice
Advanced Readings in Social Development
Social Cognition and Moral Development
Social Bases of Behavior
Social Exclusion and Social Justice
Social Reasoning about Intergroup Relationships
Conceptions of Social Groups: Tolerance and Intolerance of 草莓传媒渢he Other草莓传媒
Conflict Resolution Seminar
Culture, Context, and Development
Center for Children, Relationships, and Culture Colloquium Weekly Seminar (convener)
Undergraduate Courses:
Honors Seminar for Human Development
Child Growth and Development
Social Agency, Equality, and Development