Danielle Labotka
Papers
1
Total Citations
15
H-Index
1
About
Danielle Labotka is a developmental psychologist whose research explores how children learn to navigate social and moral boundaries, particularly through conversations with parents. Her work investigates how young minds distinguish between different types of agents—such as humans, animals, and robots—and how these distinctions shape their understanding of moral responsibility and social categories. In her highly cited paper, "How Conversations with Parents May Help Children Learn to Separate the Sheep from the Goats (and the Robots)" (2018, 15 citations), Labotka demonstrates that parent-child dialogue plays a crucial role in helping children differentiate between entities that possess moral standing and those that do not. This research bridges cognitive development, social learning, and moral psychology, offering insights into how children construct their understanding of personhood and ethical treatment. Labotka’s work is notable for its innovative use of naturalistic conversation analysis, revealing the subtle ways parents scaffold children’s reasoning about complex social and moral concepts. Her contributions are particularly relevant for educators, parents, and researchers interested in the origins of moral cognition and the role of social interaction in shaping children’s worldviews.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1