Can you briefly summarize your dissertation?
I completed my PhD under the supervision of Louis Schmidt in the Child Emotion Lab at McMaster University. My dissertation broadly examined the developmental origins, biological correlates, and heterogeneity of temperamental shyness. In a series of studies, I used a multi-method, multi-measure approach that included both cross-sectional and longitudinal study designs, as well as integrated observational and psychophysiological methodology to investigate biological substrates and heterogeneity of shyness from a developmental perspective. This work illustrated that shyness is a heterogenous phenomenon, with individual differences in the developmental onset and developmental course, resulting in different subtypes of shyness with unique emotional, social, and biological correlates. As well, this work provided evidence that some shy children may be more sensitive to perceiving threat in social situations, and their brain and body may be “primed” to overreact when they are faced with this perceived social threat. These processes may play a role in the expression and maintenance of shyness across development.
How did you come up with the idea for your dissertation research?
My research has been driven by my inherent interest in understanding why some children are more shy than other children and what is happening “under the skin” when shy children are in new social situations. I have also been fascinated that the literature, and society more broadly, often view shyness as a relatively maladaptive trait. This has motivated my additional line of research examining heterogeneity in shyness across different levels (e.g., behavioral expression, developmental onset, stability), as well as factors that may influence the differing outcomes (including adaptive outcomes) among shy children.
How did you fund your dissertation research?
To fund my dissertation research, I applied for multiple national and international awards. My research and graduate training were funded through a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Doctoral Award, an Elizabeth Munsterberg Koppitz Fellowship from the American Psychological Association, a Dissertation Funding Award from the Society for Research in Child Development, a CIHR Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement, as well as additional internal and external travel awards. My research was also supported through funding from my supervisor.
What advice would you give to grad students who are proposing or working on their dissertation?
The most important piece of advice I would give to other students who are pursuing graduate research is to choose a topic that is interesting and exciting to you. By choosing a topic that you are genuinely passionate about, your research will feel more like a hobby that you look forward to as opposed to work that you dread. If you are naturally excited about the topic of your dissertation, it is likely that you will propose novel research questions and produce impactful research outputs. An additional piece of advice I have for graduate students is to actively seek out awards or scholarships that you are eligible for, and importantly, apply for them! You will be surprised at the number of opportunities there are to fund and recognize your important research.
What are you working on now?
I am currently a postdoctoral researcher in the Social Development Lab at the University of Waterloo working with Heather Henderson. My postdoctoral research has been focused on the temperamental and socio-cognitive correlates of social behavior, as well as the interpersonal implications of shyness. I am examining how children’s shyness is related to their behavior with unfamiliar peers during initial and repeated interactions, how this may differ across contexts (e.g., online versus in-person), and the processes that may influence these social interactions (e.g., cognitions and physiological regulation).”