Dr. Mahesh Srinivasan

Biography

Mahesh Srinivasan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. He holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University. His research primarily focuses on linguistic and social cognitive development in children, exploring how they acquire language and develop social reasoning within various cultural contexts. Some of his key research themes include the flexibility in children's language use and its implications for cognitive development, the role of pragmatics in language learning, and the cultural influences on social cognitive development, particularly regarding intergroup attitudes and moral reasoning. Srinivasan's work spans fields of cognitive development, lexical semantics, historical semantic change, and the effects of cultural constructs such as the Hindu caste system on social cognition. His contributions have been significant in understanding how language and social reasoning interact, particularly in diverse cultural settings. Recent publications highlight how linguistic factors influence cognitive processes across languages and cultures, underscoring the importance of social cognition in children's language development.

Research Interests

Experience