Research Interests
Ashley C. Jordan's initial research interests led her to study children's cognitive development (primarily theory of mind abilities) while working in Dr. David Bjorklund’s evolutionary developmental psychology laboratory. Wishing to pursue her interests from a life history theoretical perspective, Ashley relocated to the University of Arizona, where she worked as a research associate in Dr. Bruce Ellis' laboratory. Her research shifted to focus more on adolescent behavioral development. The lens she uses to study human behavior and cognition has always been broad, including multiple layers of an individual's life (i.e., biology, family environment, peer relationships, community, culture), as well as inter-generational influences on development. In recent years, Ashley has been interested in studying evolutionarily relevant gender differences and in applying the tenets of life history theory to the study of risky adolescent behavior.
Presentations
Presenting a paper at the Society for Research on Child Development (SRCD), March 2011. I love the opportunity to attend and present at conferences; I always enjoy the chance to expand my horizons and learn valuable information to apply to my research, as well as in being able to meet others in the field and form valuable collaborative partnerships.
Mentor Philosophy
I have had the privilege of working with and overseeing several highly motivated undergraduate students. My mentor philosophy involves a scaffolding technique, first involving lots of instruction and attention, and gradually allowing students to have more personal responsibilities in our research. I believe that with proper instruction and tutelage, anyone can have the skill and ability to successfully navigate a career in research, as long as they put in the necessary work and demonstrate the intrinsic motivation.