Nicholas J. Cepeda

-Professor at York University (Canada), department of Psychology, Melody Wiseheart heads the Cognitive Flexibility Lab at York University. We study methods for improving educational outcomes, including the spacing effect. Currently, we are investigating whether the spacing of learning episodes can improve development and long-term retention of critical thinking skills in STEAM fields, such as physics, mathematics, computer programming, and musical performance. Recent studies investigated whether spacing was beneficial to improving media literacy skills, including website evaluation. Other recent studies examined song learning, including melody and lyric retention, and piano playing. Separately, we are developing and validating a new socioeconomic status scale. This scale is designed to cover SES in a more comprehensive manner than most previous scales. Out aim is to help researchers in psychology, epidemiology, medicine, and other fields understand the impact of financial and social influences on their measures of interest. A third line of research investigated the theoretical structure of task switching processes. Our executive function research has investigated the relationship between executive function and bilingualism, and potential effects of music and dance training on executive function skills.