Developmental Psychology Research Paper Topics

Change across the lifespan follows patterns shaped by biology, context, and time, and we can study those patterns with clear variables and methods. We’re TopicSuggestions, and today we’ll share concrete, researchable developmental psychology topics you can turn into solid papers. We know students need focus, not fluff—so our claim is simple: choosing topics that tie a developmental process to a measurable outcome and a feasible method leads to stronger arguments and cleaner studies.

Research Paper Topic Ideas on Developmental Psychology

We’ll map the ideas in a quick, student-friendly way: first by age periods (infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood), then by core domains (cognitive, language, social-emotional, moral), followed by contexts and populations (family, school, culture, technology, neurodiversity), and we’ll finish with method-led prompts and ethics-ready angles. Let’s get you from broad interest to a specific, testable topic you can own.

1. Ambient Haptic Nudges in Hybrid Meetings: Sub-Perceptual Wrist Vibrations and Social Dynamics

We ask whether barely noticeable wrist pulses alter turn-taking frequency and fairness in mixed in-person/remote teams.
We test if such haptics increase perceived inclusion among quieter participants without conscious awareness.
We examine whether individual differences in interoceptive accuracy moderate the nudge’s efficacy.

2. Notification Hangover: Micro-Temporal Spillovers From Push Alerts on Moral Judgments

We ask if brief bursts of notifications bias immediate moral decision-making toward harsher or more lenient judgments.
We test whether cognitive load or affective arousal better explains post-alert shifts in moral choice.
We examine the decay function of this bias across seconds to minutes after the alert event.

3. Scent-Synchronized E-Learning: Olfactory Tags for Asynchronous Memory Reinstatement

We ask if pairing unique ambient scents with video segments improves later retrieval when the scent is reinstated.
We test whether scent reinstatement benefits abstract concepts more than procedural knowledge.
We examine how individual olfactory sensitivity and vividness of imagery interact with the effect.

4. AI Co-Regulation Under Pressure: Voice-Based Companions and Physiological Synchrony

We ask whether real-time prosodic mirroring by an AI voice reduces stress and improves task performance.
We test if human–AI heart rate variability coupling predicts perceived alliance and trust.
We examine boundary conditions where AI co-regulation backfires (e.g., high trait reactance).

5. Interoceptive Bandwidth: Dual-Channel Training for Heartbeat and Respiration Tracking

We ask whether we can train participants to monitor heartbeat and breathing simultaneously without performance trade-offs.
We test if dual-channel training generalizes to improved emotion regulation under stress.
We examine neural or behavioral markers that index gains in “interoceptive bandwidth.”

6. The Social Friction of Typing Indicators: Micro-Delays and Attribution in Text Chats

We ask whether manipulated delays in “user is typing” indicators shift perceived warmth and competence.
We test if delay variability increases misattribution (e.g., assuming deception or disinterest).
We examine individual differences (e.g., intolerance of uncertainty) as moderators of these inferences.

7. Dusk Drift: Color Temperature Changes and Implicit Risk Preferences

We ask if gradual warm-shift lighting at dusk nudges risk-taking in financial and social choices.
We test whether the effect is mediated by melatonin onset or by affective tone.
We examine cross-chronotype differences and the role of prior light exposure.

8. Dear Future Me: Self-Addressed Micro-Letters and Goal Persistence

We ask if framing weekly plans as letters to our future selves improves adherence versus standard checklists.
We test whether temporal specificity (“dear me in 72 hours”) enhances commitment strength.
We examine whether public posting versus private archiving changes accountability and outcomes.

9. Walking With a Third Arm: AR-Induced Limb Ownership During Locomotion

We ask whether augmented reality can induce third-limb ownership while participants walk and multitask.
We test if induced ownership improves bimanual coordination or imposes cognitive costs.
We examine susceptibility correlates, including proprioceptive acuity and motion variability.

10. Silence as Feedback: Millisecond-Scale Therapist Pauses and Client Disclosure

We ask whether micro-pauses inserted at key moments elicit deeper client self-disclosure.
We test if pause timing relative to emotional words predicts therapeutic alliance ratings.
We examine whether clients with varying attachment styles differentially respond to silence.

11. Augmented Reality co-play and visuospatial skill gains in preschoolers from multilingual homes

We propose an underexplored intervention testing caregiver–child AR co-play on early visuospatial development. We ask: (1) Does guided AR co-play produce greater gains in preschool visuospatial tasks than non-AR shared play? (2) Does the multilingual home environment moderate AR effects on transfer to non-digital tasks? We will run a randomized pilot with bilingual and monolingual dyads, use pre/post standardized visuospatial assessments and observational coding of joint attention during play, and apply mixed-effects models to test interaction effects and short-term transfer.

12. Parent mindfulness training and infant sleep microarchitecture (6–12 months)

We hypothesize that brief parent mindfulness programs change infant sleep microarchitecture and settling patterns via altered parental responsiveness. We ask: (1) Do infants of parents trained in brief, home-based mindfulness show changes in EEG sleep markers (spindles, micro-arousals) relative to controls? (2) Are changes mediated by reduced parental nighttime stress and different settling behaviors? We will conduct a randomized trial using home EEG/actigraphy, parent stress measures, and coded bedtime interactions, and model mediation with longitudinal mixed models.

13. Sibling digital media mediation and theory of mind trajectories in middle childhood

We posit that older sibling mediation of digital media is a distinct socialization pathway for Theory of Mind (ToM) development. We ask: (1) How does sibling-led explanation and scaffolding during shared media predict ToM growth beyond parental mediation? (2) Which sibling behaviors (modeling, asking questions, role-play) are most predictive? We will run a longitudinal observational study with dyadic video capture of sibling media interactions, repeated ToM tasks over 12 months, and fine-grained behavioral coding linked to growth-curve analyses.

14. Participatory civic simulations in virtual classrooms and adolescent moral reasoning trajectories

We propose testing whether immersive, role-based civic simulations in virtual classrooms shift adolescents’ moral reasoning pathways. We ask: (1) Do repeated participatory civic simulations produce measurable shifts in moral reasoning complexity and perspective-taking? (2) Which simulation components (role-taking, deliberation, cross-cultural exposure) drive change? We will implement quasi-experimental classroom interventions, use validated moral reasoning measures pre/post and at follow-up, and employ qualitative coding of written reflections to identify active ingredients.

15. Neuroendocrine correlates of family/community LGBTQ+ affirmation on adolescent stress reactivity

We argue that identity-affirming environments buffer physiological stress among LGBTQ+ adolescents. We ask: (1) Does family/community affirmation predict lower cortisol and improved HRV reactivity in standardized stress tasks? (2) Do puberty stage and intersectional minority stressors moderate this association? We will recruit a diverse adolescent sample, collect salivary cortisol and HRV during lab stressors, measure affirmation via validated scales and interviews, and test moderation with multilevel models.

16. Urban green microspaces and executive function recovery in toddlers during daycare routines

We propose that brief, regular exposure to small green microspaces during daycare days promotes EF rebound in toddlers. We ask: (1) Do short walks to nearby green microspaces produce immediate improvements in toddler inhibitory control and working memory relative to indoor breaks? (2) Is there a dose–response across frequency or greenery quality? We will use a within-subjects alternating-day design in partner daycares, administer brief EF probes before/after breaks, use wearable GPS/accelerometer data, and apply time-series and within-subject analyses.

17. Gesture–speech synchrony in infants with familial risk for dyslexia as an early pragmatic marker

We propose that early gesture–speech timing and pragmatic synchrony may be predictive of later reading/phonological outcomes in infants at familial risk for dyslexia. We ask: (1) Are microtemporal gesture–speech synchrony patterns at 9–18 months associated with later dyslexia-related outcomes? (2) Can automated gesture analytics improve early risk prediction beyond standard measures? We will collect longitudinal home video, apply automated motion and audio alignment algorithms, and build predictive models linked to later phonological and literacy assessments.

18. Parental remote work schedules and young children’s temporal concept formation and daily rhythms

We propose examining how parents’ flexible or irregular remote work schedules shape children’s emerging temporal concepts and time-use patterns (ages 4–7). We ask: (1) Does exposure to asynchronous parental schedules delay or accelerate children’s development of clock-time concepts and routine understanding? (2) How do schedule predictability and parental scaffolding mediate effects? We will combine time-use diaries, child temporal concept tasks, and qualitative parent interviews, and analyze associations with multilevel regression and process tracing.

19. Cross-cultural variability in adolescents’ digital reputation management and identity consolidation

We posit that cultural context shapes how adolescents manage online reputations and the role this plays in identity consolidation. We ask: (1) How do reputation-management strategies differ across cultural contexts (e.g., collectivist vs. individualist) and relate to identity synthesis? (2) Does digital reputation work accelerate or complicate identity distress? We will run a cross-cultural mixed-methods study combining surveys, consenting digital trace analysis, and in-depth interviews, and employ comparative thematic and structural equation modeling.

20. Pet-assisted peer interactions and social attention in children with mild social communication difficulties

We propose that structured pet-assisted social sessions facilitate social attention and peer engagement among children with mild social communication difficulties. We ask: (1) Do short-term, structured interactions with therapy animals increase eye contact, joint attention bids, and reciprocal play compared with standard social skills groups? (2) Are gains maintained in peer-only contexts? We will pilot an RCT with behavioral (eye-tracking, observational coding) and teacher-report outcomes, monitor ethical/safety protocols, and test generalization to naturalistic peer settings.

21. Caregiver digital persona effects on toddler social referencing

We ask: How does the curated online persona of primary caregivers shape toddlers’ social referencing and trust during ambiguous play situations? We ask: Do differences between caregivers’ online and offline emotional displays predict toddler reliance on parental cues? We will work on this by combining longitudinal naturalistic play observations, coded analyses of caregiver social media content, experimental ambiguous-object tasks with toddlers, and parent interviews — ensuring informed consent, data anonymization, and high ethical oversight.

22. Household AI assistant voice gender and preschooler gender-role formation

We ask: Does chronic exposure to gendered voices of home AI assistants influence preschool children’s occupational interests and gender-stereotyped play? We ask: Are effects moderated by parental talk about technology and explicit gendered labeling? We will work on this with a randomized exposure study in which families receive different assistant-voice configurations, pre/post measures of play preferences and implicit bias tasks, and qualitative parent diaries, with protocols for debriefing and minimal risk.

23. Micro-nap patterns in infancy and later emotion-regulation trajectories

We ask: Do the frequency and timing of short daytime naps (“micro-naps”) in the first 18 months predict differences in later emotion regulation and stress physiology? We ask: Are micro-nap patterns linked to parental response styles and infant temperament profiles? We will work on this via daily sleep logs, wearable actigraphy for infants, repeated cortisol sampling, standardized emotion-regulation assessments at multiple ages, and multilevel growth-curve modeling while controlling for caregiving routines.

24. Caregiver code-switching frequency and bilingual executive function development

We ask: Does naturalistic frequency of caregiver code-switching predict trajectories of executive function and cognitive control in bilingual preschoolers beyond mere exposure to two languages? We ask: How does the pragmatic context (directive vs. narrative) of code-switching moderate outcomes? We will work on this by using extended home audio recordings (e.g., LENA), fine-grained coding of code-switch instances, standardized EF batteries, and hierarchical models linking linguistic ecology to cognitive outcomes.

25. Urban green-space soundscapes and adolescent attention/memory development

We ask: Is chronic exposure to natural versus traffic-dominated soundscapes in urban environments associated with differences in attention, working memory, and stress reactivity across adolescence? We ask: Do school and home soundscapes have additive or interactive effects? We will work on this with geolocated acoustic sampling, smartphone-based ecological momentary cognitive probes, saliva cortisol measures, and multilevel analysis of neighborhood sound exposure and cognitive trajectories.

26. Early maker-movement engagement and spatial reasoning trajectories

We ask: Does structured access to maker-oriented, hands-on construction activities in preschool accelerate spatial reasoning and STEM-related spatial skills through early childhood? We ask: Which components (tool use, project complexity, collaborative vs. solitary making) drive effects? We will work on this through an RCT providing maker curricula in preschools, pre/post standardized spatial assessments, video-coded interaction quality, and longitudinal follow-up to measure persistent gains.

27. Parental gig-economy instability and adolescent risk-taking and delay discounting

We ask: Does exposure to parental employment unpredictability in the gig economy predict adolescent risk preferences, delay discounting, and decision-making under uncertainty? We ask: Are effects mediated by family stress, household routines, or adolescent perceptions of economic control? We will work on this using a cohort design sampling families across employment stability gradients, behavioral economic tasks with adolescents, validated stress inventories, and path analyses to test mechanisms.

28. Virtual reality social-skill training and peer integration for autistic adolescents

We ask: Can immersive VR role-play interventions designed to train nuanced social reciprocity improve real-world peer integration and reduce social anxiety in autistic adolescents? We ask: Do gains in VR generalize to school settings and everyday interactions? We will work on this using an RCT comparing VR training to standard social skills groups, ecological momentary assessment of peer interactions, teacher/peer reports, and transfer tasks, with careful participant assent and sensory accommodations.

29. Prenatal urban light pollution exposure, infant circadian rhythm, and temperament

We ask: Is prenatal exposure to high levels of urban nighttime light pollution associated with altered infant circadian rhythmicity, sleep consolidation, and early temperament markers of irritability or novelty seeking? We ask: Do maternal sleep patterns and melatonin mediate associations? We will work on this by linking satellite-derived nocturnal light exposure during pregnancy to infant actigraphy, parent-report temperament scales, maternal sleep/melatonin assays, and regression models adjusting for urban confounds.

30. Tactile-rich (haptic) digital interfaces and infant fine motor/sensorimotor development

We ask: Does regular interaction with haptic-enhanced tablets and apps in infancy affect trajectories of fine motor skill acquisition and multisensory integration compared with non-haptic digital interactions? We ask: Are there dose-response effects and sensitive periods? We will work on this via a controlled intervention assigning families to haptic vs. standard app exposure, periodic standardized motor assessments, motion-capture of reach/grasp behaviors, and parent-mediated activity logs, with careful assessment of screen-time recommendations and safety.

31. Caregiver Voice Biometric Signatures and Infant Stress Regulation

We, TopicSuggestions, propose studying whether unique acoustic markers in a primary caregiver’s voice modulate infant physiological stress responses.
We ask: Does exposure to a caregiver’s consistent biometric voice signature (timbre, prosody pattern) reduce cortisol reactivity in distressing paradigms compared with unfamiliar voices?
We ask: Does early consistency of voice signature exposure predict differences in vagal tone development across the first year?
We ask: Does mismatch between recorded and live caregiver voice (e.g., altered timbre) disrupt infant emotion regulation?
We will work on this by combining home audio sampling to extract caregiver voice features, lab-based still-face or mild stress tasks, and longitudinal saliva/vagal-tone measures with mixed-effects modeling.

32. Adolescent Peer Network Dynamics inside Decentralized Social Apps and Identity Formation

We, TopicSuggestions, propose examining how peer influence operates in decentralized or ephemeral social platforms where friend graphs are unstable.
We ask: How do adolescents form stable identity narratives when their peer exposure patterns fluctuate daily on decentralized apps?
We ask: Does exposure to transient peer clusters predict higher experimentation behaviors (e.g., risky disclosures) than exposure to stable peer groups?
We ask: How do shifts in network connectivity relate to adolescent self-esteem trajectories over six months?
We will work on this using repeated ecological momentary assessments, scraped but consented app metadata (connectivity metrics), social network analysis, and multilevel growth-curve models.

33. Micro-Schedules of Sleep in Preschoolers and Short-Term Executive Function Plasticity

We, TopicSuggestions, propose testing how brief, repeated daytime micro-naps (10–20 minutes) across weeks affect working memory and inhibitory control in preschoolers.
We ask: Do structured micro-nap schedules produce measurable gains in executive tasks within two weeks compared with continuous wakefulness?
We ask: Are effects moderated by baseline sleep architecture (measured with home polysomnography or actigraphy)?
We will work on this by randomizing preschool cohorts to micro-nap intervention vs. control, collecting pre/post executive function batteries, and analyzing mediation by sleep spindle density.

34. Transgenerational Epigenetic Signals Conveyed through Parental Storytelling Practices

We, TopicSuggestions, propose investigating whether narrative themes and emotional valence in parent storytelling correlate with epigenetic markers in offspring related to stress and social behavior.
We ask: Are consistent parental storytelling patterns (e.g., threat-focused vs. resilience-focused themes) associated with differential methylation of stress-regulatory genes in infants?
We ask: Does experimentally altering storytelling content over months shift epigenetic trajectories and concurrent behavioral markers?
We will work on this by coding home-recorded storytelling for thematic/emotional features, collecting infant buccal/saliva samples for epigenetic assays longitudinally, and applying causal inference techniques.

35. Development of Moral Reasoning within AI-Mediated Tutoring Interactions

We, TopicSuggestions, propose exploring how children’s moral judgments develop when learning social problem-solving from adaptive AI tutors that model different ethical frameworks.
We ask: Do children internalize utilitarian vs. deontological cues presented consistently by an AI tutor during collaborative tasks?
We ask: Does exposure to AI tutors that explain moral reasoning vs. those that only demonstrate actions produce different developmental trajectories in moral language and prosocial behavior?
We will work on this by designing controlled tutoring interactions, pre/post moral vignettes and behavioral observations, and content analysis of child explanations.

36. Sensorimotor Contingency Learning in Infants through Haptic Telepresence Devices

We, TopicSuggestions, propose studying how infants learn action–outcome contingencies when their motor output is linked to remotely-located haptic devices (e.g., small robots providing contingent touch).
We ask: Can remote haptic feedback support sensorimotor contingency learning at rates comparable to direct-touch contingencies?
We ask: Does contingency via haptic telepresence accelerate cross-modal integration (touch–vision) in the second half of the first year?
We will work on this by implementing ethically designed remote haptic setups in lab play sessions, measuring looking and reaching adaptations, and using within-subject counterbalanced contingency conditions.

37. Bilingual Code-Switching Density and Working Memory Trajectories in Noisy Urban Environments

We, TopicSuggestions, propose examining whether frequent code-switching in bilingual children interacting in persistently noisy urban settings relates to accelerated or strained working memory development.
We ask: Is high density of code-switching in daily conversational contexts associated with improved auditory working memory in high-noise environments?
We ask: Does chronic noise moderate the cognitive cost/benefit of habitual code-switching on executive function growth?
We will work on this by collecting naturalistic language samples with noise-level logging, administering auditory and visual working memory tasks longitudinally, and modeling interaction effects.

38. Emergence of Temporal Foresight in Children Exposed to Immersive Historical Virtual Reality

We, TopicSuggestions, propose testing whether immersive VR experiences that place children in future or past contexts influence the developmental timing of episodic foresight and delay discounting.
We ask: Does repeated immersive simulation of future selves reduce impulsive choice in middle childhood compared with narrative or non-immersive instruction?
We ask: Are changes in temporal self-continuity mediated by increases in episodic detail generation during guided reflection?
We will work on this by randomly assigning children to immersive VR future-self sessions versus control conditions, measuring intertemporal choice tasks and narrative foresight coding over months.

39. Role of Urban Green Microspaces in Toddler Attentional Tuning and Emotion Regulation

We, TopicSuggestions, propose investigating whether frequent short exposures (5–15 minutes) to small urban green microspaces (e.g., pocket parks) modulate toddler attention orienting and physiological emotion regulation.
We ask: Do toddlers who experience daily microspace visits show faster recovery from overstimulation and better sustained attention in preschool tasks?
We ask: Is biodiversity (plant/animal cues) within microspaces a stronger predictor of outcomes than mere presence of green cover?
We will work on this by equipping families with GPS and brief ecological sampling logs, conducting lab-based attention and emotion-regulation assessments, and using propensity-score matching for quasi-experimental inference.

40. Influence of Parental Algorithmic Curation on Early Narrative Skill Development

We, TopicSuggestions, propose examining how algorithmically curated children’s media playlists (e.g., YouTube Kids autoplay chains chosen by parents) shape early narrative complexity and causal sequencing in preschoolers.
We ask: Does high parental reliance on algorithmic curation vs. hand-selected content predict differences in story structure production and event-sequencing abilities?
We ask: Can brief parental training in curating narrative-rich content reverse any observed deficits?
We will work on this by tracking media exposure logs (with consent), assessing child narrative production through elicited storytelling tasks, and running an intervention that trains parents to curate for causal and character-driven narratives.

41. Sensorimotor Attachment Patterns in Preterm Infants and Later Social Cognition

— Research questions: How does early sensorimotor synchrony between caregivers and preterm infants predict theory of mind at age 5? Does tactile-focused caregiving compensate for shortened neonatal sensory windows in preterm infants? Overview: We design a longitudinal cohort of preterm and full-term dyads, we record high-resolution video and wearable motion/tactile sensors during feeding and play across the first year, we code synchrony and attachment behaviors, and we administer standardized social-cognitive tasks at 3 and 5 years. We use mixed-effects growth models and mediation analysis to test predictive pathways.

42. Digital Mirror Self-Recognition Trajectories in Toddlers Exposed to Augmented Reality (AR) Media

— Research questions: Does routine AR self-viewing accelerate or disrupt mirror self-recognition milestones? How does AR-mediated self-image affect body schema development and self-concept at 3 years? Overview: We run a randomized controlled trial in childcare settings assigning toddlers to AR-self play vs. traditional play, we assess mirror self-recognition, intermodal contingency detection, and parent-reported self-awareness measures over 12 months. We combine behavioral tasks, parent diaries, and multivariate longitudinal analysis.

43. Intergenerational Narrative Styles and Executive Function Development in Early Childhood

— Research questions: How do storytelling structures transmitted across three generations relate to children’s inhibitory control and working memory? Can intervention-prescribed narrative scaffolding enhance executive functions in low-resource families? Overview: We recruit triads (grandparent, parent, child), we collect oral narratives and code for temporal, causal, and mental-state language, we measure children’s EF with lab tasks, and we run a brief narrative-training RCT for parents. We analyze intergenerational covariance and pre-post intervention effect sizes.

44. Sibling Birth Order, Parental Neural Responsivity, and Prosocial Development

— Research questions: Does parental brain activation to infant cues change with successive births, and does this neural change correlate with prosocial behaviors in firstborns? How does sibling caregiving opportunity shape empathy trajectories? Overview: We use fMRI to measure parental responsivity to infant faces before and after a sibling’s birth, we observe sibling interactions longitudinally, and we assess firstborn children’s prosocial tasks and empathy questionnaires. We apply within-subject neurobehavioral analyses and hierarchical models linking neural change to child outcomes.

45. Microbiome-Gut-Brain Links to Temperament Stability from Infancy to Toddlerhood

— Research questions: Which early gut microbial profiles associate with stability vs. change in temperamental reactivity across the first two years? Can probiotic supplementation modulate trajectories of negative affect? Overview: We collect serial stool samples, temperament scales, and stress-reactivity biomarkers in infants at 3, 9, 18, and 24 months, we implement a double-blind probiotic pilot, and we apply machine-learning clustering and cross-lagged panel models to probe bidirectional influences.

46. Cross-Cultural Development of Moral Reasoning about AI Agents in Middle Childhood

— Research questions: How do children aged 7–11 across cultures attribute moral agency and responsibility to autonomous robots and chatbots? Does exposure to household AI predict moral judgment patterns? Overview: We design culturally adapted vignettes involving AI-caused harm vs. human-caused harm, we sample children in at least four cultural contexts with varying AI penetration, and we combine structured interviews, coded justifications, and mixed-effects logistic regression to identify developmental and cultural moderators.

47. Sleep Architecture Disruptions from Household Energy Poverty and Cognitive Outcomes in Early Adolescence

— Research questions: How does intermittent electricity access alter sleep microarchitecture (e.g., REM/NREM patterns) and, in turn, academic and executive functioning in 11–14-year-olds? Are circadian disruptions mediators of cognitive disparities? Overview: We recruit adolescents in communities with variable energy reliability, we collect at-home polysomnography/actigraphy, cognitive batteries, and sleep diaries across seasons, and we model mediation by sleep parameters using structural equation modeling controlling for socioeconomic confounds.

48. Developmental Effects of Multilingual Code-Switching Frequency on Metalinguistic Awareness in Preschoolers

— Research questions: Does frequent exposure to caregiver code-switching enhance preschoolers’ metalinguistic skills and pragmatic flexibility? How does code-switching context (instructional vs. social) moderate effects? Overview: We observe and quantify naturalistic caregiver-child language environments with audio recording and LENA analysis, we assess children’s metalinguistic tasks and pragmatic comprehension, and we use propensity-score matching and multilevel regression to estimate causal associations.

49. Peer-Directed Microaggressions in Middle School and Identity Consolidation among Minority Youth

— Research questions: How do repeated peer microaggressions influence identity integration, school belonging, and mental health trajectories during early adolescence? Can peer-led restorative interventions buffer negative outcomes? Overview: We implement a longitudinal school-based study measuring microaggression exposure, identity measures, and well-being across two academic years, we pilottest a peer-restorative program, and we assess intervention moderation via latent growth curve models.

50. Virtual Reality Exposure of Natural Environments and Pro-Social Risk-Taking in Urban Youth

— Research questions: Does repeated VR exposure to restorative natural settings increase willingness to engage in prosocial risk-taking (e.g., helping strangers) among urban adolescents? What neural and affective mediators explain behavior change? Overview: We conduct a randomized trial comparing VR-nature, VR-urban, and control conditions, we measure behavioral economics-style prosocial risk tasks, affective state, and optional neuroimaging for a subsample, and we analyze mediational chains with multilevel causal inference methods.