Holly Wright, Ph.D.

Teaching Focus

My area of interest primarily focuses on social-emotional development throughout childhood. By taking a developmental perspective, I aim to engage students in thinking critically about the many facets of human development, with particular attention to the importance of creating environments that are developmentally appropriate and supportive of children's overall well-being. I have spent years focusing on student learning and developing courses that introduce students to key concepts in the social sciences, including how parenting practices and educational settings can shape a child. My continued pursuit is to help students apply these important topics and ideas to their own lives, their future careers, and their interactions with the world around them. I strive to foster a classroom environment that is supportive, inclusive, and constructive. 

Courses Taught

• Understanding Child and Adolescent Behavior
• Introduction to Early Childhood Education
• Developmental Assessment of Young Children
• Development During Childhood
• Prenatal and Infant Development
• Theories of Human Development
• Lifespan Development

Selected Publications

Rassmussen, E., Strouse, G., Colwell, M. J., Russo, C., Holiday, S., Brady, K., Flores, I., Troseth, G., Wright, H., Densley, R., & Norman, M. (2018) Promoting preschoolers’ emotional competence through prosocial TV and mobile app use. Media Psychology DOI: 10.1080/15213269.2018.1476890

Rasmussen, E.E., Shafer, A., Colwell, M. J., White, S.R., Punyanunt-Carter, N., Densley, R., & Wright, H. (2016). Relation between active mediation, exposure to Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and preschoolers’ social and emotional development. Journal of Children and Media, 10, 443-461. DOI: 10.1080/17482798.2016.1203806

Colwell, M. J., Gaines, K., Pearson, M., Corson, K., Wright, H. D. and Logan, B. J. (2016), Space, Place, and Privacy: Preschool Children's Secret Hiding Places. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 44, p. 412–421. doi:10.1111/fcsr.12169

Colwell, M.J., Corson, K., Sastry, A., & Wright, H. (2014) Secret keepers: Children’s theoryof mind and their conception of secrecy. Early Child Development and Care, 186, 369-381.