Staff
Dr Emma Flynn, Ph.D.
Contact (email at e.g.flynn@durham.ac.uk)
Research Interests
The overarching theme of my research is an investigation of the processes and mechanisms of change within the individual or across individuals within behaviour/tradition over time. In my work I have adopted specialised methods, including the microgenetic method, diffusion chains and open diffusion.
My areas of research include:
+ Experimental Analysis of Social Transmission in Children
This research area investigates two issues: (a) what information must young children observe in order to successfully complete a complex task, and (b) how is this information transmitted between individuals?
+ Observational Learning: An Underpinning Skills Approach
I have investigated observational learning in the context of peer tutoring in school-age children and imitation in pre-school children.
+ Development and Relations Between False Belief Understanding and Executive Functioning
Before establishing the role of executive functioning and theory of mind skills on children’s collaborative interactions it is essential to understand the inter-relations between these cognitive skills.
Research Groups
Selected Publications
Books: sections
- Flynn, E. 2010. Underpinning Collaborative Learning. In Self and Social Regulation: Social interaction and the development of social understanding and executive functions. Sokol, B., Muller, U., Carpendale, J., Young, A. & Iarocci, G. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 312-336.
- Bancroft, D. & Flynn, E. 2005. Early cognitive development. In Psychological Development and Early Childhood. Oates, J., Grayson, A. & Wood, C. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 131-166.
- Flynn, E. 2004. Understanding minds. In Children's Cognitive and Language Development. Oates, J. & Grayson, A. Milton Keynes: Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the Open University. 231-258.
- Ding, S. & Flynn, E. 2000. Collaborative Learning- an underlying skills approach. In Rethinking Collaborative Learning. Joiner, R. Littleton, K., Faulkner, D. & Miell, D. London: Free Association Press. 3-18.
Journal papers: academic
- Hopper, L.M., Flynn, E.G., Wood, L.A.N. & Whiten, A. 2010. Observational learning of tool use in children: Investigating cultural spread through diffusion chains and learning mechanisms through ghost displays. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
- Flynn, E. & Whiten, A. 2008. Cultural transmission of tool use in young children: A diffusion chain study. Social Development 17: 699-718.
- Flynn, E. & Whiten, A. 2008. Imitation of hierarchical structure versus component 3 details of complex actions by 3- and 5-year-olds. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology 101: 228-240.
- Flynn, E 2008. Investigating children as cultural magnets: Do young children transmit redundant information along diffusion chains? Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 363: 3541-3551.
- McGuigan, N., Whiten, A., Flynn, E. & Horner, V. 2007. Imitation of causally-opaque versus causally-transparent tool use by 3- and 5-year-old children. Cognitive Development 22: 353-364. (Additional information) (View publication online)
- Flynn, E. & Siegler, R. 2007. Measuring change: Current trends and future directions in microgenetic research. Infant and Child Development 16: 135-149. (Additional information) (View publication online)
- Flynn, E. 2007. The role of inhibitory control in false belief understanding. Infant and Child Development 16: 53-59. (Additional information) (View publication online)
- Flynn, E., Pine, K. & Lewis, C. 2007. Using the microgenetic method to investigate cognitive development: introduction to a special issue. Infant and Child Development 16: 1-6. (Additional information) (View publication online)
- Flynn, E. 2006. A microgenetic investigation of stability and continuity in theory of mind development. British Journal of Developmental Psychology 24(3): 631-654. (Additional information) (View publication online)
- Horner, V., Whiten, A., Flynn, E. & de Waal, F. 2006. Faithful replication of foraging techniques along cultural transmission chains by chimpanzees and children. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 103(37): 13878-13883. (Additional information) (View publication online)
- Whiten, A., Flynn, E., Brown, K. & Lee, K. 2006. Imitation of hierarchical action structure by young children. Developmental Science 9(6): 575-582. (Additional information) (View publication online)
- Flynn, E., O'Malley, C. & Wood, D. 2004. A longitudinal, microgenetic study of the emergence of false belief understanding and inhibition skills. Developmental Science 7(1): 103-115. (Additional information) (View publication online)
Journal papers: professional
- Flynn, E., Pine, K. & Lewis, C. 2006. The microgenetic method: Time for change? The Psychologist 19(3): 152-155. (Additional information) (View publication online)
Supervises
- Ms Fiona Kaley
- Miss Lara Wood