- Home
- Academics
- Schools
- School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences
- Graduate Departments
- Psychology
- Faculty
- Detailed Information
Laraine McDonough
Associate Professor
Psychology
Location: 4613 James Hall
Phone: 718.951.5000 x6027
Fax: 718.951.4814
Email:
Laraine McDonough's Web site
Laraine McDonough began her second career, a change from banking to academics, by starting college as a freshman at Golden West College in Huntington Beach, Calif., and completing her Ph.D. at the University of California, San Diego. Her interest in cognitive psychology expanded from her initial interests in infantile amnesia and categorization to the acquisition of concepts about objects, causality, number, space and time and how language acquisition influences such concepts. She has investigated these topics developmentally by testing infants, young children (including those with autism), college students and aging adults. Her current interests include how we represent knowledge such that we can formulate metaphors to discuss complex ideas such as time. Since her hire at Brooklyn College in 1998, she has mentored and is continuing to mentor several graduate students. Working on research with students constitutes some of her happiest moments.
Education:
Ph.D., University of California - San Diego - 1991 (Psychology, General)
Areas of Expertise:
How do infants learn about the world and how does this learning provide the foundations for adult knowledge? Laraine McDonough has asked this question several ways by uncovering what is memorable to infants and what kinds of meanings are first learned. She then found that the particular language learned (e.g., English, Korean or Japanese) influences early meanings. She continues this research with children with autism. She also investigates how early meanings may help us understand metaphors.
Books and Publications
Invited article for the forthcoming Encyclopedia of Language on The Conceptual Foundations of Language Acquisition. (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2013
Werner, E., Y. Zhao, L. Evans, M. Kinsella, L. Kurzius, A. Altincatal, L. McDonough and C. Monk. "Higher Maternal Prenatal Cortisol and Younger Age Predict Greater Infant Reactivity to Vovelty at 4 Months: An Observation Based Study." Developmental Psychobiology 10.1002/dev.21066. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2012
Kranjec, A. and L. McDonough. "The Implicit and Explicit Embodiment of Time." Journal of Pragmatics 43: 735-48. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2011
Fuse, A. and L. McDonough. "Acquisition of Spatial Language in Japanese, English and Korean as Measured Using an Elicited-production Technique." Studies in Language Sciences 8: 63-78. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2009
Choi, S. and L. McDonough. "Adapting Spatial Concepts for Different Languages: From Preverbal Event Schemas to Semantic Categories." The Emerging Spatial Mind. Eds. J. Plumert and J. Spencer. New York: Oxford University Press. 142-67. (Books and Publications: Chapter) 2007
McDonough, L., S. Choi and J.M. Mandler. "Spatial Categorization: Flexible Infants, Lexical Adults." Cognitive Psychology 46: 229-59. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2003
Rebotier, T., L. McDonough and D. Kirsh. "Image-dependent Interaction of Imagery and Vision." American Journal of Psychology 116: 343-66. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2003
"Basic Level Nouns: First Learned But Misunderstood." Journal of Child Language 29: 357-78. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2002
"Early Concepts and Early Language Acquisition: What Does Similarity Have to Do With Either?" Representation, Memory and Development: Essays in Honor of Jean Mandler. Eds. N.L. Stein, P.J. Bauer and M. Rabinowitz. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 115-43. (Books and Publications: Chapter) 2002
"Infants Reach to Location A Without Practice or Training." Commentary on "The Dynamics of Embodiment: A Field Theory of Infant Perseverative Reaching," by C. Scheier, L.B. Smith and E. Thelen. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 24: 88. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2001
Mandler, J.M. and L. McDonough. "Advancing Downward to the Basic Level: Inductive Generalization in Infants and Young Children." Journal of Cognition and Development 1.4: 379-403. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2000
"Early Declarative Memory for Location." British Journal of Developmental Psychology 17: 381-402. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1999
Choi, S., L. McDonough, M. Bowerman and J. Mandler. "Comprehension of Spatial Terms in English and Korean." Cognitive Development 14: 241-68. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1999
Goodman, J., L. McDonough and N. Brown. "Learning Object Names: The Role of Semantic Context and Memory in the Acquisition of Novel Words." Child Development 69: 1330-44. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1998
Mandler, J.M. and L. McDonough. "On Developing a Knowledge Base in Infancy." Developmental Psychology 34: 1274-88. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1998
Mandler, J.M. and L. McDonough. "Studies in Inductive Inference in Infancy." Cognitive Psychology 37: 60-96. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1998
McDonough, L. and J.M. Mandler. "Inductive Generalization in 9- and 11-month-olds." Developmental Science 1: 227-32. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1998
McDonough, L., S. Choi, M. Bowerman and J.M. Mandler. "The Use of Preferential Looking as a Measure of Semantic Development." Advances in Infancy Research. Eds. E.L. Bavin and D. Burnham. Norwood, N.J.: Ablex Publishing. 336-54. (Books and Publications: Chapter) 1998
McDonough, L., A. Stahmer, S. Thompson and L. Schreibman. "Deficits, Delays and Distractions: An Evaluation of Symbolic Play and Memory in Children With Autism." Development and Psychopathology 9: 17-41. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1997
Mandler, J.M. and L. McDonough. "Drinking and Driving Don't Mix: Inductive Generalizations in One-year-olds." Cognition 59: 307-35. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1996
Mandler, J.M. and L. McDonough. "Long-term Recall of Event Sequences in Infancy." Journal of Experimental Child Psychology 59: 457-74. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1995
Mandler, J.M. and L. McDonough. "Nonverbal Recall." Memory for Everyday and Emotional Events. Eds. N.L. Stein, P.O. Ornstein, B. Tversky and C. Brainerd. Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. (Books and Publications: Chapter) 1995
McDonough, L., J.M. Mandler, R. McKee and L. Squire. "The Deferred Imitation Task as a Nonverbal Measure of Declarative Memory." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 92: 7580-84. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1995
McDonough, L. and J.M. Mandler. "Very Long-term Recall in Infants: Infantile Amnesia Reconsidered." Memory 2.4: 339-52. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1994
Mandler, J.M. and L. McDonough. "Concept Formation in Infancy." Cognitive Development 8.3: 291-318. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1993
Mandler, J.M., P. Bauer and L. McDonough. "Separating the Sheep From the Goats: Differentiating Global Categories." Cognitive Psychology 23: 263-98. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1991
Creative Work
Art show: Photographs from the East Side Gallery, Berlin (2006) and Graffiti Artwork by Jake McDonough (1991-2010) presented at the Brooklyn College Library. November. 2011
Awards, Honors and Fellowships
Subcontract PI on NIH RO1 Grant, for "The Effects of Prenatal Stress and Poor Nutrition on Brain and Cognition." Funding received for 2011-16. (Grants and Fellowships) 2011
PSC-CUNY Research Award, for "The Role of Self-motion in the Representation of Objects." Principal investigator. Funding extended. (Grants and Fellowships) 2010
PSC-CUNY Research Award, for "Script and Category Acquisition in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders." Principal investigator. (Grants and Fellowships) 2009
PSC-CUNY Research Award, for "The Role of Self Motion in the Representation of Object Kinds in Infants." Principal investigator. 2006-07. (Grants and Fellowships) 2006
PSC-CUNY Research Award, for "Space: A Conceptual Metaphor for Time." Principal investigator. 2005-06. (Grants and Fellowships) 2005
PSC-CUNY Research Award, for "Cross-linguistic Studies of Spatial Categorization: Comparing Outcomes Due to Different Languages, Tasks and Instructions." Principal investigator. 2004-05. (Grants and Fellowships) 2004
PSC-CUNY Research Award, for "Research on Infant Cognition: Participants Needed." Principal investigator. (Awards and Honors) 2001
National Science Foundation Research Grants, Undergraduate Education CCLI, for "Teaching With Behavioral Examples and DVD Technology in Undergraduate Developmental Psychology." Co-principal investigator. 2000-02. (Grants and Fellowships) 2000
National Science Foundation Research Grants: POWRE, for "Utilizing New Technology to Investigate Cognitive Development." Principal investigator. 1999-2001. (Grants and Fellowships) 1999
PSC-CUNY Research Award, for "The Development of Inductive Generalization in Infants and Young Children." Principal investigator. 1999-2001. (Grants and Fellowships) 1999
National Science Foundation Research Grants, for "Early Conceptual Development." Co-principal investigator. 1997-98. (Grants and Fellowships) 1997
National Science Foundation Research Grants, for "Early Conceptual Development." Co-principal investigator. 1996-97. (Grants and Fellowships) 1996
Research Activities
Data collection on infant memory, attention and generalization at Columbia /Presbyterian Department of Psychiatry in collaboration with Catherine Monk and her colleagues. Longitudental study beginning with pregnant mothers and following up on their infants until two years of age. 2013
Sabbatical: Investigation of "The Effects of Prenatal Stress and Poor Nutrition on Brain and Cognition" with Catherine Monk at Columbia Presbyterian, Department of Psychiatry. 2012
Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums
Bensinger-Brody, Y., J.M. Gardner, L. McDonough and B.Z. Karmel. "Differential Object, Surface, and Object-On-Surface Manipulation in 10-Month-Old High-Risk Infants" poster. In-house Psychology Conference. Brooklyn College. May. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2011
Goldman, M. and L. McDonough. "Fast Mapping and Memory Skills Associated With Specific Language Impairment and Autism." Society for Research in Child Development. Montreal. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2011
Samuel, T. and L. McDonough. "Generalization and Sequential Understanding of Novel and Familiar Events in Children With Cognitive and Language Delays." Cognitive Developmental Society. Philadelphia. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2011
"Autism." Muslim Community Center. Brooklyn, N.Y. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2010
Goldman, M., K. Weinhoffer and L. McDonough. "The Abilities of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Specific Language Impairment to Use Semantic and Social Context to Infer and Recall Novel Words." Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association. Brooklyn, N.Y. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2010
Rovito-Gomez, T., I. Cohen and L. McDonough. "The Effect of Teaching Attending to a Face on Joint Attention Behavior on Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders" poster. Association for Behavior Analysis International Annual Convention. Phoenix. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2009
Rovito-Gomez, T., I. Cohen and L. McDonough. "The Effect of Teaching Attending to a Face on the Emergence of Joint Attention Behavior in Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders." International Meeting for Autism Research. Chicago. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2009
Kranjec, A. and L. McDonough. "Temporal Concepts and Frames of Reference: Thinking About Time Between Language and Space." Cognitive Science Conference. Washington, D.C. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2008
Kranjec, A. and L. McDonough. "Finding Time in Space: A Language Game." Special theme session: Spatial Construals of Time: Theoretical and Empirical Issues, 10th International Cognitive Linguistics Conference. Jagiellonian University. Krakow, Poland, July. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2007
"Language and Thought: A New Look at Whorf." Center for the Advanced Study of Language, University of Maryland. February. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2006
"Language-specific Semantics and Cognition" symposia. International Conference on Cognitive Sciences-Asia/Pacific Rim Areas. Vancouver, Wash., July. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2006
Fuse, A. and L. McDonough. "A Developmental and Cross-linguistic Comparison of Spatial Language Acquisition: Japanese, English and Korean." Japanese Society for Linguistic Studies. July. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2006
Fuse, A. and L. McDonough. "A Developmental and Cross-linguistic Comparison of Spatial Language Acquisition: Japanese, English and Korean." Japanese Society for Linguistic Studies. Tokyo, June. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2006
Kranjec, A. and L. McDonough. "Making Sense of an Absurd Situation." First U.K. Postgraduate Conference in Cognitive Linguistics." University of Sussex. Brighton, United Kingdom, May. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2006
Kranjec, A. and L. McDonough. "Vertical Spatial Primes Influence Ego-centered Temporal Concepts." American Psychological Society 17th Annual Convention. May. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2005
"An Overview of the Research on Memory and Learning in Infants: What Do the Numbers Suggest?" The Frauen Klinick. Heidelberg, Germany. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2004
"Objects as Symbols and/or Actions as Symbols: The Development of Early Conceptual Thought." International Conference on Infant Studies. Chicago, April. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2004
"Spatial Categorization and Language Acquistion in Young Infants: A Comparison Between English and Korean." University of Heidelberg. Heidelberg, Germany. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2004
"The Role of Language on Infants' Inductive Generalizations." International Conference on Infant Studies. Chicago, April. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2004
Fuse, A. and L. McDonough. "Task Pragmatics and the Lexicon: A Re-examination of the Role of Language in Cognition." Boston University Language and Child Development. November. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2004
Fuse, A., L. McDonough and T. Erez. "Re-examining the Role of Language in Spatial Cognition." Science Day. Brooklyn College. May. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2004
McDonough, L., L. Hainline, T. Kripor and R. Waltuch. "The Use of Research Data to Teach Critical Thinking in the Classroom." National Science Foundation, CCLI. Washington, D.C., September. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2004
"Decontextualization Re-visited." Departments of Education and Linguistics, Rutgers University. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2003
Fuse, A. and L. McDonough. "Categorization of Japanese Spatial Terms by Monolingual Japanese-speaking Children and Adults" poster. The Society for Research in Child Development. Tampa, Fla. (Also presented at Brooklyn College.) (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2003
Marsh, R., L. McDonough and C. Misiurski. "Young Children's Extensions of Novel Words and Functional Facts: A Domain-general Account" poster. 15th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Society. Atlanta, April. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2003
Misiurski, C. and L. McDonough. "Finish What You Started: Evidence for a Forward Inference Effect With Preschoolers and Adults" poster. The Society for Research in Child Development. Tampa, Fla. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2003
"Inductive Generalization in Infants." Workshop on Infant Action Understanding. Max Planck Institute and the University of Munich. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2002
"Preverbal Spatial Categories." Developmental Research Group, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2002
"Tapping the Infant Mind: A Route to Critical Thinking." Faculty Day. Brooklyn College. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2002
Choi, S., L. McDonough and M. Bowerman. "The Relation Between Semantics and Cognition: A Cross-linguistic Study of Spatial Categorization From Infancy to Adulthood." The Jean Piaget Society. Berkeley, Calif. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2002
McDonough, L. and R. Marsh. "Infants' Inductive Generalization of Novel Words and Events: Domain-specific or Domain-general Processes?" International Conference on Infant Studies. Toronto. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2002
"Flexible Spatial Categories in Early Infancy." Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2001
"Infants Comprehension of Spatial Relations." Developmental Research Group, Yale University. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2001
"Space and Language." Workshop on the Foundations of Human Knowledge Acquisition. Hanse Wissenschaftskolleg. Delmenhorst, Germany. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2001
Marsh, R. and L. McDonough. "Asymmetries in Infants' Inductive Generalizations" poster. The Society for Research in Child Development. Minneapolis (also presented at conferences at New York University and Brooklyn College). (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2001
"Components of the Animate-inanimate Distinction in Infancy" symposium. International Conference on Infant Studies. Brighton, United Kingdom. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2000
Mandler, J.M. and L. McDonough. "Learning About Artifacts and animals in Infancy." International Conference on Infant Studies. Brighton, United Kingdom. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2000
"Two-year-olds' Representation of Familiar Event Sequences Tested With Appropriate Props and Placeholder Objects" poster. Inaugural Meeting of the Cognitive Development Society. Chapel Hill, N.C. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 1999
Mandler, J.M. and L. McDonough. "Advancing Downward to the Basic Level." Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society. Los Angeles, November. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 1999
McDonough, L., S. Choi and M. Bowerman. "Infant Categorization of Spatial Relations Across Widely Varying Contexts" poster. The Society for Research in Child Development. Albuquerque, N.M. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 1999
"Overextension in the Production and Comprehension of Basic-level Nouns in Two-year-olds" poster. The Society for Research in Child Development. Washington, D.C. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 1997
"What Is So Basic About the Basic Level Categories?" Macquarie University. Sydney. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 1997
McDonough, L. and J.M. Mandler. "Category Boundaries and Inductive Inference in Infancy" poster. The Society for Research in Child Development. Washington, D.C. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 1997
McDonough, L., S. Choi, J. Mandler and M. Bowerman. "Preferential Looking Measures" workshop. Melbourne, Australia. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 1997
"Cognitive Development in Infancy: A Series of 5 Lectures." University of Girona, Spain. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 1996
"Inductive Reasoning in Infancy." The Centennial of Jean Piaget's Birth. Geneva. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 1996
"Infant Categorization: A New Approach." University of California, Irvine. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 1996
McDonough, L. and J. Goodman. "Toddlers Use Semantic Context to Learn New Verbs" poster. The Society for Research in Child Development. Indianapolis. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 1995
McDonough, L., J.M. Mandler and L.R. Squire. "The Deferred Imitation Task as a Measure of Declarative Memory" poster. Biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development. Indianapolis. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 1995
McDonough, L., A. Stahmer and L. Schreibman. "Nonverbal Recall in Low-functioning Children With Autism" poster. The Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology. London. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 1994
Professional Leadership
Member, Department of Psychology appointments committee. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2011
Appointments committee (five faculty searches: co-chair, Cognitive Search Committee; chair, Lecturer Search Committee); Graduate Council: Faculty Representative for Mind, Brain & Behavior Doctoral Program; Linguistics Steering Committee. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2010
Appointments Committee; IRB Committee; Graduate Council: Faculty Representative for Mind, Brain & Behavior Doctoral Program; Linguistics Steering Committee. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2009
Department committees: deputy chair, NOS; Appointments Committee (elected position); adjunct co-ordinator; IRB Committee. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2008
Professional organizations: American Psychological Society, International Society for Infant Studies, Society for Research in Child Development, Cognitive Development Society, Cognitive Science Society. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2007
Pedagogical Achievements
Proposed new course for the Department of Psychology, entitled "Thought and Language." Undergraduate course taught for the first time at Brooklyn College, spring. 2013
New course proposal: Psychology: Thought and Language. 2010
Community Activities
McDonough, L. and S. Goldberg (discussion group leaders). "Parent Coffee for the Early Childhood Center Programs." Focus topis: Growing Up Faster Than Mom & Dad: What Do You Do When Your Child No Longer Behaves Like the Child You Knew? 2008
Other Professional Activities
Mentor for doctoral student Maritza Marin, successful defense of dissertation "Bilingual Representation of English and Russian." 2012
Mentor for doctoral students who successfully defended their second doctoral exams: Tashana Samuel, "Generalized Event Representation in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)";
Yocheved Bensinger-Brody, "Attention and Coordination of Gait in Developmental Coordination Disorder." 2012
Mentoring doctoral students: Tina Rovito-Gomez, research on eye gaze in young children with autism (Ph.D. expected April); Melody Goldman, language acquisition processes in children with autism and children with specific language impairment (Ph.D. expected April); Maritza Marin, bilingual representation of English and Russian (ABD); Jaime Vitrano, categorization in young children with autism spectrum disorders (dissertation proposal in progress); Tashana Samuel, script and event memory in children with learning disabilities (master's expected September). 2010
Journal and grant reviews: National Science Foundation, Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development (consulting editor, 2000), Cognitive Psychology, Development and Psychopathology, Child Development, Cognitive Development, Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, Developmental Science, Social Development, Infancy. 2007
