Dr. Celeste Kidd

Biography

Celeste Kidd is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. She obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Rochester. Her research interests include attention, curiosity, learning, computational modeling, and cognitive development. At the Kidd Lab, she investigates the processes involved in knowledge acquisition, particularly in young children, by employing a combination of computational and behavioral methods. Her work draws inspiration from classic learning theories in educational psychology, including those proposed by Jean Piaget, Maria Montessori, and Lev Vygotsky. The lab develops computational models that are inspired by these traditional theories to make specific predictions and generate testable hypotheses regarding learning dynamics. Through designing behavioral experiments, the lab empirically differentiates competing learning theories by measuring what learners focus on, explore, and play with starting from infancy into childhood. The lab utilizes eye-trackers to measure visual fixations during passive viewing and touchscreens to examine touch-based exploration in kid-friendly apps while also studying traditional play behaviors. The results from her research contribute to quantitative theories that explain how data interacts with learners' growing knowledge and provide insights that inform education, parenting, and clinical practices.

Research Interests