Ep. 17 - Unlocking the Link Between Neurological Development and Behavior

We are thrilled to be joined today by Dr. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang. Dr. Immordino-Yang studies the psychological and neurobiological bases of social emotion, self-awareness and culture and their implications for learning, development and schools. She is a Professor of Education at the USC Rossier School of Education, a Professor of Psychology at the Brain and Creativity Institute, a member of the Neuroscience Graduate Program Faculty at the University of Southern California, and Director of the USC Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning and Education (CANDLE). She is currently PI for a school-based intervention study of the role of students’ social-emotional competencies in academic success and a PI on a study of the neural and psychosocial correlates of mindsets in low-SES adolescents from two cultural groups. Dr. Immordino-Yang also serves as scientific adviser to several Los Angeles schools/districts and is a mother of two! Dr. Immordino-Yang will be discussing with us an often overlooked topic in parenting: understanding neuroscience to recognize how it impacts children’s psychological development. She will demonstrate how a child’s culture and emotions and feelings can shape the brain and our behaviors.  We will also explore how a children’s ability to understand meaning can impact how children view the world. Getting a grasp of these concepts can help parents be able to understand how to connect with their children and be able to better relate to children’s mindsets. You can learn more about Dr. Immordino-Yang and her research at candle.usc.edu