Mount St. Mary’s University’s Spring 2025 Merredith-Donovan lecture featured a thought-provoking discussion on prejudice, bias and the social development of children. This year’s lecture featured Melanie Killen, Ph.D., a distinguished professor of psychology and the director of the Social and Moral Development Lab at the University of Maryland’s College of Education. Killen's talk, titled Reducing Social Inequalities by Addressing Exclusion in Youth, provided valuable insights into the complexities of how children understand and experience issues of fairness, justice and inequality.
Killen's research focuses on understanding how children and adolescents process social inequalities and their role in shaping societal biases. Her work highlights the importance of early childhood experiences in developing prejudices and stereotypes, which often manifest in social exclusion and affect academic and social growth. She stressed that such exclusion diminishes children's motivation and engagement in school, a critical environment for learning and personal development.
One of the key points of Killen's talk was the concept of "social cognition," which refers to how children understand and interpret social interactions and moral issues. She emphasized that children’s ideas about fairness and justice evolve over time and are influenced by their experiences of inequality. Killen’s research also explores how social exclusion and group membership impact children’s willingness to participate in their communities, both in school and beyond.
The Meredith-Donovan lecture series was established to foster interdisciplinary dialogue between the natural sciences and the humanities, inspired by two Mount professors, Professor Emeritus of Biology William Meredith, Ph.D., and the late Professor Emeritus of Philosophy John Donovan, Ph.D. These professors were not only renowned for their academic contributions but also for their efforts in bridging gaps between intellectual fields through shared dialogue. The series continues to honor their legacy by encouraging the exchange of ideas across disciplines, enriching both the academic and personal development of students, faculty, and alumni.
The event, organized by Mount St. Mary’s faculty and staff, was made possible through the generous funding of alumnus Raphael Della Ratta, C’92, ensuring that the conversation between the natural sciences and humanities continues for future generations of Mount students.