I investigate basic developmental processes in executive function, theory of mind, and symbolism/pretend play. I am particularly interested in how these skills interrelate in the preschool period, their brain bases, their relevance for school readiness, and socio-cultural influences on their development.

Selected Publications

1. Beck, D.M., Schaefer, C., & Pang, K., & Carlson, S.M. (in press). Executive function in preschool children: Test-retest reliability. Journal of Cognition and Development.

2. Bernier, A., Carlson, S.M., Bordeleau, S., & Carrier, J. (2010).  Relations between physiological and cognitive regulatory systems: infant sleep regulation and subsequent executive functioning.  Child Development, 81, 1739-1752.

3. Carlson,  S.M. (2010).  Development of conscious control and imagination.  In R. F., Baumeister, A. R. Mele, & K. D. Vohs (Eds.).  Free will and consciousness: How might they work? (pp. 135-152).  New York: Oxford.

4. Carlson, S.M., Zayas, V., & Guthormsen, A. (2009).  Neural correlates of decision making on a gambling task.  Child Development, 80, 1076-1096.

5. Carlson, S.M. (2009). Social origins of executive function development. In C. Lewis & J. I. M. Carpendale (Eds.), Social interaction and the development of executive function. New Directions in Child and Adolescent Development (Series Eds. R. Larson & L. Jensen) (pp. 87-98). New York: Jossey Bass.

6. Carlson, S.M., Beck, D. M.(2009).  Symbols as tools in the development of executive function.  In A. Winsler, C. Fernyhough, & I. Montero (Eds.), Private Speech, Executive Functioning, and the Development of Verbal Self-regulation (pp.163-175).  New York: Cambridge University Press.

7. Davis-Unger, A.C., Carlson, S.M. (2008).  Children's teaching: Relations to theory of mind and executive function. Mind, Brain, and Education, 2, 128-135.

8. Carlson, S.M., Tahiroglu, D., & Taylor, M. (2008)  Links between dissociation and role play in a non-clinical sample of preschool children.  Journal of Trauma and Dissociation, 9, 149-171.

9. Zelazo, P.D., Carlson, S.M., & Kesek, A.  (2008). The development of executive function in childhood. In C. Nelson & M. Luciana (Eds), Handbook of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience (2nd Ed.) (pp. 553-574). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

10. Davis-Unger, A.C., & Carlson, S.M.  (2008).  Development of teaching ability in preschool children and relations to theory of mind. Journal of Cognition and Development, 9, 26-45.

11. Carlson, S.M., & Zelazo, P.D. (2008). Symbolic thought. In M. M. Haith, & J. B. Benson (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Infant and Early Childhood Development, Vol. 3 (pp. 288-297). London: Elsevier.

12. Carlson, S.M., & Meltzoff, A.N. (2008). Bilingual experience and executive functioning in young children. Developmental Science, 11, 279-295.

13. Taylor, M., Carlson, S.M., & Shawber, A.B. (2007).  Autonomy and control in children's interactions with imaginary companions. Proceedings of the British Academy (Issue on Imaginative Minds), 147, 81-100.

14. Carlson, S.M., & Wang, T. (2007).  Inhibitory control and emotion regulation in preschool children. Cognitive Development, 22, 489-510.