Yuko Munakata
Encyclopedia
Yuko Munakata is a Professor
of Psychology
at the University of Colorado
. She has specialized in developmental cognitive neuroscience
, taking a connectionist
approach to cognitive development
. Her research investigates the processing mechanisms underlying cognitive development, using converging evidence from behavior
, computational modeling, and cognitive neuroscience
. She also focuses on understanding the prevalence of task-dependent behaviors during the first years of life. Munakata received a B.A.
in symbolic systems from Stanford University
in 1991; a Ph.D.
from Carnegie Mellon University
in 1996, where her advisor was James McClelland; and completed a postdoctoral fellowship
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
from 1996-1997. She worked at the University of Denver
from 1997–2001, and joined the faculty of the University of Colorado
in 2002, but continues to work at DU as an adjunct professor of psychology. Munakata is a member of the Institute of Cognitive Sciences and the Center for Neuroscience at CU.
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
at the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
. She has specialized in developmental cognitive neuroscience
Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
Developmental cognitive neuroscience is an interdisciplinary scientific field at the boundaries of neuroscience, psychology, social neuroscience, developmental science, and cognitive science.-Origins of the discipline:...
, taking a connectionist
Connectionism
Connectionism is a set of approaches in the fields of artificial intelligence, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, neuroscience and philosophy of mind, that models mental or behavioral phenomena as the emergent processes of interconnected networks of simple units...
approach to cognitive development
Cognitive development
Cognitive development is a field of study in neuroscience and psychology focusing on a child's development in terms of information processing, conceptual resources, perceptual skill, language learning, and other aspects of brain development and cognitive psychology compared to an adult's point of...
. Her research investigates the processing mechanisms underlying cognitive development, using converging evidence from behavior
Behavior
Behavior or behaviour refers to the actions and mannerisms made by organisms, systems, or artificial entities in conjunction with its environment, which includes the other systems or organisms around as well as the physical environment...
, computational modeling, and cognitive neuroscience
Cognitive neuroscience
Cognitive neuroscience is an academic field concerned with the scientific study of biological substrates underlying cognition, with a specific focus on the neural substrates of mental processes. It addresses the questions of how psychological/cognitive functions are produced by the brain...
. She also focuses on understanding the prevalence of task-dependent behaviors during the first years of life. Munakata received a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in symbolic systems from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in 1991; a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
in 1996, where her advisor was James McClelland; and completed a postdoctoral fellowship
Postdoctoral researcher
Postdoctoral research is scholarly research conducted by a person who has recently completed doctoral studies, normally within the previous five years. It is intended to further deepen expertise in a specialist subject, including acquiring novel skills and methods...
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
from 1996-1997. She worked at the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
from 1997–2001, and joined the faculty of the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
in 2002, but continues to work at DU as an adjunct professor of psychology. Munakata is a member of the Institute of Cognitive Sciences and the Center for Neuroscience at CU.
External links
- Yuko Munakata's Homepage
- Biography
- CV
- Cognitive Development Center (Munakata's Lab)