Our Lab

Current Lab Members

Lab Director

Philippe Rochat, Ph.D.

Professor of Psychology

Philippe Rochat was born and raised in Geneva, Switzerland. He was trained by Jean Piaget and his close collaborators and received his Ph.D. from the University of Geneva, Switzerland in 1984. He then began a series of Post Doctoral internships in the United States at Brown University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins University. During this time, he conducted research on action, perception, and cognitive development in human infants.

Dr. Rochat taught and did research in developmental psychology at the University of Massachusetts, and joined the faculty at Emory University in Atlanta in the 1990s, where he is currently a Professor of Psychology.

A 2006-2007 John Simon Guggenheim fellow, Dr. Rochat has published five books and many scholarly articles on infant and child development. The main focus of his research is the early sense of self, emerging self-concept, the development of social cognition and relatedness, and the emergence of a moral sense during the preschool years in children from all over the world. Dr. Rochat’s research emphasizes differences in populations growing up in highly contrasted cultural environments, as well as highly contrasted socio-economic circumstances.

Dr. Philippe Rochat’s comprehensive Curriculum Vitae can be viewed here.

A list of published works can be viewed here.

Phone: 404-727-4284
Fax: 404-727-0372

Graduate Students

Nikita Agarwal

Nikita’s research focuses on the development of social categories like gender and race. She is particularly intrigued by how these categories shape our biases, influencing who we see as a part of our in-group or out-group. 

Outside of the lab, she enjoys merging her passions for reading and cooking by diving into the science of food and experimenting with new recipes. 

 

 

Lab Staff

Hannah Kreuziger

Lab Coordinator/Research Specialist

Hannah Kreuziger is from Peachtree City, Georgia and graduated in 2023 from Emory University with a BA in Psychology and German Studies. Hannah started in the Infant and Child Lab as an Undergraduate Research Assistant, where she developed an interest in social development in children. Following graduation from Emory, Hannah became the Lab Coordinator and has been involved in several of the projects occurring in the lab, including her and Dr. Rochat’s projects on Schadenfreude and Gift Malaise. Currently, she is in the process of applying to graduate school to obtain her Ph.D. in Psychology.

In her free time, she enjoys hot yoga, niche perfumery, and trips to Whole Foods!

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Andrew Fuentes -
NBB, Business 2025

Andrew is a senior studying Neuroscience & Behavioral Biology (NBB) and Business. He is from Annapolis, Maryland. Andrew is President of the Men’s Club Volleyball Team and is Director of Membership of the Atlas Consulting Group at Emory. In the lab, he is working on Nikita’s social categorization studies. 

Ellie Yang -
Psychology, QSS 2025

Ellie is a senior studying Psychology and Quantitative Sciences at Emory. She is from Guangdong, China. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, photography, playing the piano, and watching K-dramas. In the lab, she is working with Hannah and Nikita on coding with both of their studies. 

Emmanuel Roman -
Psychology, Business 2027

Emmanuel is a sophomore studying Psychology and Business. He is from Houston, Texas. He enjoys watching sports like soccer, baseball, and Formula 1. He also enjoys traveling. In the lab, he aids Nikita with coding and recruitment for her social categorization studies. 

Gita Paladugu -
Psychology, Anthropology 2025

Gita is a senior undertaking a BS in Psychology and an Anthropology minor in Global Development Studies. She is from Fort Worth, Texas. Gita loves to make art, enjoy nature, engage in activism, and read. In the lab, she aids Hannah in recruitment, data collection, and coding for the Schadenfreude study. 

Hallie Goldblatt -
Psychology, Religion 2026

Hallie is a junior studying Psychology and Religion. She is from New York City, and outside of the lab, she enjoys playing tennis, traveling, trying new restaurants and cuisines, and listening to music (especially Taylor Swift). In the lab, she is working with Nikita on understanding gender rules and norms throughout development, as well recruitment and coding of the Gift study.

Isabella Acquaah -
Psychology, Sociology 2025

                                                                                                                Isabella is currently a senior, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Sociology. Although she was originally born in Lawrenceville, Georgia, she was raised in Accra, Ghana. In Isabella’s free time, she enjoy crocheting and documenting her life through vlogging. In the lab, Isabella is helping with Nikita’s study on social categorizations. 

Julia DiTrani –
Psychology 2026

 

Julia is a junior pursuing a BS in psychology on the pre-med track. She is from Chicago, IL. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, golfing, and any other form of physical activity! Julia also loves traveling and exploring new restaurants with family and friends. In the lab, Julia works on recruitment and coding for Hannah’s Gift Study.

Nora Robbiani -
Psychology, German Studies 2025

Nora is a senior pursuing a BS degree in Psychology and a BA in German Studies. She is from Atlanta, GA. Nora enjoys traveling, hiking, cooking, and listening to audiobooks. In the lab, she aids Hannah in data collection and coding for the Schadenfreude study.

Thulsy Krishnan (Remote) -
English, Psychology 2026

                                                                                                                  Thulsy visited us from Duke University this recent summer, and at Duke, she is rising junior pursuing a BA in English and Psychology. She enjoys doing yoga, playing the violin, and spending time in nature. After working with us for Summer 2024, she remotely aids Nikita with her social categorization studies. 

Previous Visiting Scholar

Maxime Ryser

Maxime served as a visiting scholar from Neuchatel, Switzerland, where he received his MA in Cognitive Science. During his stay at the Emory Infant and Child Lab, Maxime worked with Dr. Philippe Rochat on the mechanisms regulating the reciprocation of gifts, and the development of children’s sensitivity to merit.