Dr. Makeba Wilbourn

Biography

Makeba Parramore Wilbourn is an Associate Professor of the Practice in Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University, where she has been a faculty member since 2017. Her research explores the interrelationship between cognition and language, focusing on how various inputs, such as gestures and bilingualism, influence these relationships over time. Wilbourn's work addresses critical theoretical questions regarding how cognition impacts language development in early childhood. She is particularly interested in the cognitive and perceptual skills of infants and toddlers and how these skills lay the groundwork for early word learning. In addition to her professorship, she is an affiliate of the Center for Biobehavioral Health Disparities Research and has been involved with the Social Science Research Institute since 2014. Wilbourn has made significant contributions to the field through her publications and research, including notable studies on emotional reasoning and label mapping in infants.

Research Interests

Experience