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Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand's Research Lab

Research Interests

Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand is broadly interested in peer relationships during adolescent and young adult development. In particular, she examines constructs surrounding behaviors like aggression, bullying/victimization, and prosocial behaviors, including social status, motivation, self-concept and personality, attributional biases, gender, and adjustment. In a secondary line of research, she also examines factors related to academic persistence and motivation.  

Both graduate and undergraduate students working with Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand predominantly work on projects relating to the above research areas but have some flexibility in exact topics based on shared interests and motivation.

Working with Graduate Students

Graduate students working in Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand’s lab will gain valuable research experience that will culminate in the completion of a master’s thesis. Students will have access to funding to support their research projects as well as travel to professional conferences. If you are interested in working with Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand, please contact her to see if she has openings in her lab at findley@roanoke.edu.  

Working with Undergraduate Students

Students working in Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand’s lab work on a variety of tasks, including data entry and coding, literature reviews, study design and recruitment, data collections, data analysis, and, for students progressively working on more independent tasks, study presentation in various forums.

Interested students should be hard working, self-sufficient, and in good academic standing (but can be any level of student, from freshman to upperclassmen). If you are interested in working with Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand, email her at findley@roanoke.edu.  

See Undergraduate Research for more information about opportunities, expectations, and course credits.

Recent Publications 

  • Ojanen, T., Findley-Van Nostrand, D., & McVean, M. (2025). Victimization forms, depression and self-esteem among Black/African American, White/Caucasian and Hispanic adolescents. Child & Youth Care Forum, online first: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-025-09888-y
  • Findley-Van Nostrand, D. & Campbell, B. (2024). Goals for, insecurity in, and self-perceptions of peer status: Short term longitudinal associations with relational aggression and prosocial behaviors in emerging adults. Frontiers in Developmental Psychology, 2, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fdpys.2024.1433449
  • Ojanen, T. & Findley-Van Nostrand, D. (2024). Is bullying always about status? Status goals, forms of bullying, popularity and peer rejection during adolescence. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 185(1), 36- 49. doi: 10.1080/00221325.2023.2254347.
  • Dillon-Owens, C., Findley-Van Nostrand, D. Ojanen, T., Buchholz, C., & Valdes, O. (2022). Cognitive and affective empathy in adolescence: Ties to social-emotional adjustment. Social Psychology, 53(5), 292-302. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1027/1864-9335/a000499
  • Lansu, T., Findley-Van Nostrand. D., & Cillessen, A. (2022). Popularity according to emerging adults: What defines it, and how to acquire it. Emerging Adulthood, 11(2), 331-335 https://doi.org/10.1177/21676968211066668

Examples of Recent Presentations

  • Findley-Van Nostrand, D. (June 2025). Emerging Adults’ Social Goals, Relational Aggression, and Narcissism: The Role of Parental Values and Relationships. Presented at the Society for the Study of Emerging Adults. Charleston, SC
  • Findley-Van Nostrand, D., Powell, D., & Fetinci, K. (June 2025). How did it end, and what do you think about it? Forms of Friendship Dissolutions, Effects on Construals, and Impacts on Self-Esteem in Emerging Adults. Presented at the Society for the Study of Emerging Adults. Charleston, SC
  • Findley-Van Nostrand, D. & Dennehey, S. (June 2025). Emerging Adults’ Perceptions of Aggression: Effects of Gender Identity of the Aggressor and Victim, and Roles of Transphobia and Empathy Presented at the Society for the Study of Emerging Adults. Charleston, SC.
  • Phillips, I.* & Findley-Van Nostrand, D.(November, 2024). Family Life Predictors of Hostile Attribution Bias. Presented at the Southeastern Society for Social Psychology, Memphis, TN.
  • Findley-Van Nostrand, D. (November, 2023). Short-Term Longitudinal Associations among Young Adults’ Social Goals, Relational Aggression, Forms of Prosocial Behaviors, and Self-Perceived Status. Society for Southeastern Social Psychology annual conference, Charlotte, NC

Editorial Board & Peer Review Service

Journal of Genetic Psychology, Theory and Research in Human Development (Consulting Editor)

Ad Hoc (Invited) Reviewer:

  • Child Development
  • Journal of Early Adolescence
  • CBE- Life Sciences Education
  • International Journal of Behavioral Development
  • Aggressive Behavior
  • Journal of Personality
  • Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology
  • Social Development
  • International Journal of STEM Education
  • Comparative and Integrative Biology
  • International Journal of Psychophysiology
  • Journal of Genetic Psychology, Theory and Research in Human Development
  • Personality and Individual Differences
  • Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
  • Journal of Early Adolescence
  • Journal of Adolescence
  • Self and Identity
  • Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology

Links