As opposed to the classical, subjective Gestalt accounts of such phenomena, we have developed quantitative measures of grouping and attempt to create models of perception that incorporate knowledge and research from a variety of disciplines. The Mary D. Ainsworth Psychological Clinic is a facility sponsored by the Department of Psychology's Clinical Training Program. The Ainsworth Clinic is staffed by clinical faculty members and supervised graduate student therapists. The Clinic provides confidential psychological services at no charge. We are primarily involved in exploring the development of the central nervous system.
Current research falls into several categories.
In one we are examining the role that function plays in guiding proper brain maturation. In a second we are examining growth in diverse species in order to understand general properties of early neural development and brain organization. The Peer Nomination Project is concerned broadly with the assessment of personality traits and pathology, particularly the validity of self-report assessment instruments. It is based on the recognition that some people are unable to view themselves realistically, unaware of the effect that their behavior has on other people, or unwilling to report socially undesirable traits. Our project is designed to compare people's descriptions of their own personality traits with descriptions that are obtained from peers.