Meriah L. DeJoseph
Assistant Professor, Developmental Psychology
What I do
I study how children's learning and self-regulation develop, particularly in the context of poverty. How do everyday experiences shape what children pay attention to, how they learn from feedback, and how they respond to challenges? My research examines how children adapt to their environments, including when those adaptations are helpful and when they come with trade-offs.Professional Biography
At the University of Denver, I direct the Self-Regulation, Adaptation, & Growing Experiences (SAGE) Lab. My research spans early childhood through adolescence and examines how the type, timing, and predictability of children's experiences contribute to differences in learning and self-regulation. I study these processes at multiple timescales, from children's moment-to-moment responses to changing information to the everyday experiences of families navigating economic hardship. To do so, I use a variety of methods including experimental and quasi-experimental techniques, computational modeling, eye tracking, stress physiology, experience sampling, and qualitative analysis.
My own experience growing up below the poverty line motivates me to better understand both the challenges children face and the adaptive strengths they develop along the way. Ultimately, I hope this work can help identify the programs and policies that best support children and families. As I build the SAGE Lab, I'm especially interested in developing lasting community partnerships and mentoring students to conduct rigorous, collaborative research that is meaningful to the communities involved.
I also co-direct the Communicating and Expanding Research on Adversity (CERA) Network, an international collaboration working to improve how researchers and the broader public understand and talk about children and families facing poverty.
Before joining DU as an Assistant Professor in 2026, I earned my PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of Minnesota's Institute of Child Development and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University's Center on Early Childhood.
My own experience growing up below the poverty line motivates me to better understand both the challenges children face and the adaptive strengths they develop along the way. Ultimately, I hope this work can help identify the programs and policies that best support children and families. As I build the SAGE Lab, I'm especially interested in developing lasting community partnerships and mentoring students to conduct rigorous, collaborative research that is meaningful to the communities involved.
I also co-direct the Communicating and Expanding Research on Adversity (CERA) Network, an international collaboration working to improve how researchers and the broader public understand and talk about children and families facing poverty.
Before joining DU as an Assistant Professor in 2026, I earned my PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of Minnesota's Institute of Child Development and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University's Center on Early Childhood.
