APPLY
VISIT
GIVE
Kaitlyn Breiner, PHD
Assistant Professor
Contact Information
(310) 243-2059
Welch Hall A-310B
kbreiner@csudh.edu
Education
Ph.D., Developmental Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
M.A., Developmental Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
B.A., Psychology, Temple University
CSUDH Courses
- CDV 320 – Research Methods and Analysis in Child Studies
- CDV 372 – Social Development and Interpersonal Relationships
- CDV 423 - Child Development and Social Policy
- CDV 490 - Senior Seminar
- CDV 496 – Directed Fieldwork Experience
Teaching Philosophy
All organisms require feedback to learn and respond to their environment. It is on this premise that I have built and structured my pedagogical philosophy. To accelerate learning, students in my courses can expect prompt responsivity in and outside of the classroom to their academic and research questions. My courses integrate experimental design, case studies, anecdotal examples, and theory to provide students a well-rounded understanding of child development. Practically, lectures are provided in advance of class and are designed to facilitate conversation and discussion pertaining to theoretical and current issues in child development. Students are provided with multiple methodological examples to assess developmental questions in an effort to enhance their knowledge of concepts. I often introduce and review recent scientific research so students can leave the class having garnered new information about a topic that is also novel to the scientific community. Conceptually, I aim to create an inviting and inquisitive environment in which students feel comfortable asking questions, thinking through concepts, and engaging in discussion. Students work both independently and together on projects, and learn to communicate clearly to challenge ideas and each other thoughtfully and with respect. Each group of students provides a unique learning experience to myself and to each other, and it is with this in mind that I tailor my instruction and class discussion. Ultimately, my goal is to inspire students to be effective consumers and producers of science, and to leave my classroom thinking more critically and analytically in all aspects of their life.
Research Overview
My program of research involves understanding how adolescents respond behaviorally and biologically to peers and socioemotional stress, and how these responses may (a) be normative; (b) precede impulsive and risky behavior; or (c) be predictive of mental and physical health problems. I am especially interested in investigating these dynamics in females, who are known to have much greater lifelong disease burdens relative to males. My academic coursework and research training have provided me with background in multiple areas of child development, including psychology, social, cognition, neurobiology, and clinical—all of which are relevant for addressing these critical developmental issues.
Publications
Breiner, K. (accepted). Effective strategies for organizing undergraduate internships. International Journal for Teaching and Learning. LT062.
Last, B., Lawson, G., Breiner, K., Steinberg, L., & Farah, M. J. (2018). Childhood socioeconomic status and executive function in childhood and beyond. PLOS One, 13(8), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0202964
Breiner, K., Li, A., Cohen, A. O., Steinberg, L., Bonnie, R. J., Scott, E. S., Taylor-Thompson, K. A., Rudolph, M. D., Chein, J., Richeson, J. A., Dellarco, D. V., Fair, D. A., Casey, B. J., & Galván, A. (2018). The combined effects of peer presence, social cues, and rewards on cognitive control capacity in adolescents. Developmental Psychobiology, 60(3), 292-302. https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.21599
Steinberg, L., Icenogle, G., Schulman, E. P., Breiner, K., Chein, J. M., Bacchini, D., Chang, L., Chaudhary, N., Di Giunta, L., Dodge, K. A., Fanti, K. A., Lansford, J. E., Malone, P. S., Oburu, P., Pastorelli, C., Skinner, A. T., Sorbring, E., Tapanya, S., Uribe, L. M., Pena Alampay, L., Al-Hassan, S. M., & Takash, H. M. S. (2017). Around the world, adolescence is a time of heightened reward seeking and immature self-regulation. Developmental Science, 21(2), 1-13. doi: 10.1111/desc.12532.
Rudolph, M. D., Miranda-Dominguez, O., Cohen, A. O., Breiner, K., Bonnie, R. J., Scott, E. S., Taylor Thompson, K. A., Chein, J., Fettich, K. C., Richeson, J. A., Dellarco, D. V., Galván, A., Casey, B. J., Steinberg, L., & Fair, D. A. (2017). At risk of being risky: The relationship between “brain age” under emotional states and risk preference. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 24, 93-106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2017.01.010
Cohen, A. O., Breiner, K., Steinberg, L., Bonnie, R. J., Scott, E. S., Taylor-Thompson, K., Fair, D. A., Chein, J., Richeson, J. A., Dellarco, D. V., Rudolph, M. D., Galván, A., & Casey, B. J. (2016). When is an adolescent an adult? Assessing cognitive control in emotional and non-emotional contexts. Psychological Science, 27(4), 549-562. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0956797615627625
Cohen, A. O., Dellarco, D. V., Breiner, K., Helion, C., Rahdar, A., Pedersen, G., Chein, J., Heller, A. S., Galván, A., & Casey, B. J. (2016). The impact of emotional states on cognitive control circuitry and function. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, (28)3, 446-459. https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn_a_00906
Chein, J., Albert, D., O’Brien, L., Uckert, K., & Steinberg, L. (2011). Peers increase adolescent risk-taking by enhancing activity in the brain's reward circuitry. Developmental Science, (14)2, F1-F10. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7687.2010.01035.x