UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Koraly Pérez-Edgar, McCourtney Professor of Child Studies, professor of psychology, and associate director of the Social Science Research Institute, was recently named editor-in-chief of Developmental Psychology, one of the flagship journals of the American Psychological Association.
Her new role will begin in 2023.
The journal focuses on the biological, social and cultural factors that affect development and has distinguished itself by traditionally having a broad portfolio, publishing work across the lifespan and across species.
As editor-in-chief, Pérez-Edgar said her goal is to build on the journal’s already strong foundation to provide a platform for the best of psychological science, take advantage of new ways of communicating as a journal via social media, and incorporate diverse voices at all levels of the journal.
“Developmental Psychology is well placed to be the central interdisciplinary outlet for developmental science, highlighting interdisciplinary work within the field and serving as a hub for interdisciplinary conversations across fields,” she said.
Pérez-Edgar also would like to develop invited special issues that pose a significant question of interest and have interdisciplinary teams of researchers weigh in on how their field views the issue to generate continuous discussion.
She also plans for the journal to partner with other journals to publish complex projects as multiple papers that may address aspects of a large study or a project from different disciplinary perspectives.
“I am very excited by the opportunity to show the diversity of the field,” Pérez-Edgar said.
Pérez-Edgar joined the Penn State faculty in 2011. She previously served as associate editor of the journals Child Development and Emotion. Her research interests include relations between temperament and psychopathology, in particular children with the extreme temperamental trait of behavioral inhibition and shyness and their increased risk for social anxiety.