James A. Graham (psychologist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James A. Graham
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| Born | 1970 |
| Nationality | American |
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| Occupation | Professor of Psychology |
James A. Graham is a professor at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ). He teaches in the Psychology Department. He is a developmental psychologist. This means he studies how children grow and change. His work looks at how kids think about and act in their friendships.
Contents
Learning and Degrees
College Studies
James Graham went to Miami University in Oxford, OH. He earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in psychology in 1992. This was his first college degree.
Advanced Degrees
He then continued his studies at the University of Memphis. In 1994, he earned a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in psychology. A few years later, in 1997, he received his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree. This is the highest degree you can get in a field. His Ph.D. was in experimental psychology, focusing on child development.
Exploring How Kids Grow
Understanding Friendships
Professor Graham's research focuses on how school children (from kindergarten to fifth grade) interact with each other. He looks at friendships in different ways. He studies how whole groups of friends act together. He also studies how two friends interact.
Studying All Children
He often studies groups of children who are not usually included in research. This includes African-American children. It also includes children whose parents are in jail. His goal is to understand the challenges these children face. He also wants to show their strengths and how they overcome difficulties. He believes it's important to look at all the things that affect a child's life. This includes their history, culture, money, and social life.
Empathy and Helping Others
Another part of his research looks at how children develop empathy. Empathy means understanding and sharing the feelings of others. He also studies prosocial behavior. This is when kids do things to help others. He looks at how these skills grow in children's friendships.
Working with Communities
Professor Graham also works with communities. He uses science to help solve real-world problems. This means his research helps people directly.
Books and Articles
He has written many articles about his research. These articles cover topics like:
- How race and gender affect children's friendships.
- How children understand social situations.
- How media (like TV and internet) affects children.
- How to check if programs for kids are working well.
He has also helped write several books:
- In 2007, he co-wrote a textbook called The African American Child: Development and Challenges.
- In 2009, he co-wrote Developmental Science: An Introductory Approach.
- In 2010, he helped edit a book called Children of Incarcerated Parents: Theoretical, Developmental, and Clinical Issues.
Teaching Students
Courses at TCNJ
At TCNJ, Professor Graham teaches many different courses. These include:
- Child development.
- How to do research.
- Development across the whole lifespan.
Special Seminars
He also teaches special classes called seminars. These focus on:
- How children's social skills and personalities develop.
- The many different ethnic and racial groups among children in the U.S.
- How children develop in different cultures around the world.
- How children interact with media.
Global Teaching
For over ten years, he has taught summer courses in Johannesburg, South Africa. These are for graduate students in Education and Psychology. This is part of TCNJ's Global Program.
