Lakshmi Raman
Lakshmi Raman, PhD
Associate Professor of Psychology

Oakland University
USA

Education

2000

Ph.D

Psychology

The Ohio State University, Columbus OH

1998

M. A

Psychology

The Ohio State University, Columbus  OH

1992

M. A

Psychology

Boston University, Boston  MA

1991

B. A

Psychology

Mt. Carmel College, Bangalore University, Bangalore, India

 

Biography

I received my Bachelor of Arts degree from Mt. Carmel College, Bangalore, S. India.  I have a Masters Degree in Psychology from Boston University and received my Ph.D. from The Ohio State University in 2000.  I have completed a NRSA Ruth L. Kirschstein Postdoctoral Fellowship with Dr. Susan Gelman at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.  I have been a faculty member at Oakland University since 2006 and am currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology.

 

Research Interest

My research interests focus on children's cognitive development with a specific focus on children's naive biological theories.  My work focuses on children's understanding of illness and children's understanding of nutrition and physical activities on growth.  With the current increase in the rate of obesity among children, it is important to understand how and when children understand that biological processes such as growth are influenced by the type of food they eat.  Overall, I examine children's reasoning about common biological processes across preschool and the elementary school years.

Professional Activities:

2011-present Associate Professor Department of Psychology Oakland University, Rochester, MI
2006-2011 Assistant Professor Department of Psychology Oakland University, Rochester, MI
2005-2006 Research Specialist Intermediate Department of Psychology University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
2006 Adjunct Assistant Professor
Course instructor
Developmental Psychology/Child Development, Department of Psychology Albion College, MI
2004-2005 Postdoctoral Research Fellow Department of Psychology University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
2001-2004 Postdoctoral Research Fellow Department of Psychology University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
2002 Course instructor Introduction to Psychology University of Michigan
1998-2000 Graduate Teaching Associate Department of Psychology The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
1999 Research Assistant Department of Psychology University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
1995-1998 Graduate Administrative Assistant Asian American Student Services The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

 

Publications

  1. Raman, L.  (in press).  The role of skin color on children’s biological and non-biological judgments.  International Review of Social Sciences and Humanities.
  2. Raman, L.  (2015).  Do children and adults think that nutrition impacts mood states.        International Review of Social Sciences and Humanities, 8(2), 91-98.
  3. Raman, L. (2014). Children and adults’ understanding of the impact of nutrition on biological and psychological processes.  British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 32, 78-93.
  4. Raman, L. (2011). Why do we eat? Children’s and adults’ understanding of why we eat different meals. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 172, 401-413.
  5. Raman, L. (2011). Does “yummy” food help you grow and avoid illness? Children’s and adults’ understanding of the effect of psychobiological labels on growth and illness. Child Development Research, Vol. 2011, 10 pgs.
  6. Raman, L. (2009). Can we get sick if we want to? Children's and adults'recognition of intentionality in the origins of illness and injuries. British Journal of Psychology, 100(4), 729-751
  7. Gelman, S. A., Raman, L. & Gentener, D. (2009). Effects of language and similarity on comparison processing. Language Learning and Development, 5(3), 147-171
  8. Hollander, M., Gelman, S. A., & Raman, L. (2009). Generic language and judgments about category membership. Language and Cognitive Processes, 24(4), 481-505
  9. Raman, L., & Gelman, S. A. (2008). Do children endorse psychosocial factors in the origins of illness and disgust? Developmental Psychology, 44, 801-813.
  10. Gelman, S. A., & Raman, L. (2007). This cat has nine lives? Children's memory for genericity in language. Developmental Psychology, 43, 1256-1268.
  11. Raman, L., & Gelman, S. A.  (in press).  Do children endorse psychosocial factors in the origins of illness and disgust?  Developmental Psychology.
  12. Gelman, S. A., & Raman. L. (2007).  This cat has nine lives?:  Children’s memory for genericity in language.  Developmental Psychology, 43, 1256-1268.
  13. Raman, L., & Gelman, S. A. (2007).  Children's recognition of time in the causes and cures of physical and emotional reactions to illnesses and injuries.  British Journal of Psychology, 98, 389-410.
  14. Raman, L., & Gelman, S. A. (2005). Children's understanding of the transmission of genetic disorders and contagious illnesses.  Developmental Psychology, 41, 171-182.
  15. Raman, L., & Gelman, S. A. (2004).  A cross-cultural developmental analysis of children's and adults' understanding of illness in South Asia (India) and the United States.  Journal of Cognition and Culture, 4, 293-317. 
  16. Raman, L., & Winer, G. A.  (2004).  Evidence of more immanent justice reasoning in adults than in children:  A challenge to traditional developmental theories.  British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 22, 255-274.
  17. Gelman, S. A., & Raman, L.  (2003). Preschool children use linguistic form class and pragmatic cues to interpret generics.  Child Development, 74, 310-325.
  18. Raman, L., & Winer, G. A.  (2003).  Children's and adults' understanding of illness:  Evidence in support of a co-existence model.  Genetic, Social and General Psychology Monographs, 128, 325-355.
  19. Gelman, S. A., & Raman, L.  (2002).  Biology as a window onto cognitive development. [Essay review M. Siegal & C. Peterson (Eds.), Children's understanding of biology and health].  Human Development, 45, 61-68.