Welcome to the Seed Lab!

Self-Regulation, Early Experience, and Development Lab

 

The SEED Lab is dedicated to understanding how early life experiences shape children’s development, learning, and well-being across the lifespan. We investigate the cognitive and contextual predictors of executive function, self-regulation, and resilience, with a special focus on children experiencing adversity.

At the SEED Lab, we explore how the quality of early environments—from families and classrooms to broader social contexts—supports or hinders young children’s development. Our research integrates longitudinal and experimental methods and focuses on three interconnected strands of research:

• Developmental Foundations : Investigating how executive function and self-regulation emerge in early childhood and how they shape later academic and social outcomes.
• Contextual Influences : Examining the role of home, school, and community environments in supporting or constraining children’s development and learning.
• Prevention & Intervention : Designing and evaluating evidence-based strategies to strengthen children’s self-regulatory skills and resilience before formal schooling begins.

We use longitudinal, observational, and experimental methods, working with both local community partners and large national datasets. Our goal is to generate actionable insights that support children’s early success and long-term development.