Growing up in Washington, D. C., I was in one of the first cohorts of children to desegregate D. C. public schools. Thus, from an early age, I became acutely aware of societal prejudices and negative stereotypes regarding academic abilities of ethnic minority children. Later, as a high school student, I took my first psychology course and became intrigued with the study of human behavior and development. These early experiences and interests continue to shape my current scholarly work, which focuses on childhood social development and early school adjustment of low-income and ethnic minority children.
In addition to my research and teaching, I serveD as the chair of the Family Studies and Human Development Academic Program, a position I held for over 10 years. In that capacity, I was responsible for the overall leadership and direction of the division’s academic programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Over the years, it has been particularly satisfying to see our programs continue to grow and thrive through the efforts of our outstanding faculty, students and staff.
In my free time, I enjoy reading, following Wildcat sports and spending time with family and friends. My husband and I recently became grandparents, and we are finding it to be a truly joyous experience. I have also appreciated the opportunity to share insights on child development with my son and daughter-in-law as they experience the rewards and challenges of raising their first child.
Areas of Expertise
- Social and emotional development in childhood
- Early school adjustment
- Children’s social relationships
- Family-school relations
Research Focus
My research focuses broadly in the area of child social development, with an emphasis on children’s socialization in the context of school. I have been particularly interested in the role of children’s school social relationships (with peers and teachers) as well as parent-school relationships of low-income and ethnic minority children as risk or protective factors for early school success.
My most recent project, in collaboration with Dr. Allison Ewing, examines ethnic and gender disparities in the quality of children’s teacher-child relationships, the determinants of these disparities and their implications for children’s social and academic adaptation to school. This work will provide important insights into the individual, relational and contextual factors that either promote or undermine children’s early school performance.
Current Projects
- Principal Investigator, Gender, Ethnicity, and Relationships in School (GEARS). Collaborators: Allison Ewing and Emily Butler.
- Co-Principal Investigator, Reaching Out and Expanding Access to Coursework in Human Development (REACH). Funding: $99, 963. TRIF Anyplace Access for Arizonans (AAA) Initiative. Collaborator: Lynne Borden, Co-PI.
Subjects Taught
- Sociocultural context of development (undergraduate and graduate
- Advanced human development (undergraduate)
- Infancy/child development (undergraduate)
Select Publications
Please contact Dr. Angela Taylor if you are unable to locate one of the publications listed below.
Ewing, A. R., & Taylor, A. R. (2009). The role of child gender and ethnicity in teacher-
child relationship quality and children’s behavioral adjustment in preschool. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 24, 92-105.
Yu, J. J., Lucero-Liu, A., Gamble, W. C., Christensen, D. H., Taylor, A. R., & Modry-
Mandell, K. (2008). Partner effects of Mexican cultural values: The couple and parenting relationship. The Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied, 142(2), 169-192.
Modry-Mandell, K. L., Gamble, W. C., & Taylor, A. R. (2007). Family emotional climate and
sibling relationship quality: Influences on behavioral problems and adaptation in preschool-aged children. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 16, 71-73.
Machida, S., Taylor, A. R., & Kim, J. (2002). The role of maternal beliefs in predicting home
learning activities of Head Start families. Family Relations, 51, 176-183.
Taylor, A. R., & Machida, S. (2000). Changes in parent involvement and student-teacher relationship
quality following the transition from Head Start to kindergarten. Proceedings of Head Start’s Fifth National Research Conference. Washington, D.C.: Administration for Children, Youth, and Families.
Taylor, A. R., Machida, S., & Sewell, M. (1998). The influence of parent/family characteristics and
perceived teacher support on maternal involvement in Head Start. Proceedings of Head Start’s Fourth National Research Conference. Washington, D.C.: Administration for Children, Youth, and Families.
