Lindsey Held, PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Dr. Held is a developmental psychologist whose research is centered on early life experiences. One line of her work examines how play can be harnessed to promote positive development. Specifically, she has explored how imaginative play can promote executive functioning development and foster positive peer interactions in preschool classrooms. Another area of her research investigates how leadership emerges during childhood, with a broader interest in how leadership develops throughout the lifespan. Her previous work has explored leadership emergence within the context of play, highlighting the social and cognitive processes that underlie early leadership behaviors.
Education
Ph.D. The University of Alabama, 2025
M.A. The University of Alabama, 2022
B.S. University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 2019
Areas of Specialization: Developmental Psychology, Early Childhood Leadership, and Imaginative Play
Courses Taught
Introduction to Psychology (PSY 101)
Perspectives to Psychology I (PSY 150)
Careers in Psychology (PSY 225)
Developmental Psychology + Lab (PSY 328, 328L)
Recent Publications
Held, L. L., Bauer, R., Bray, E., Crone, T., & Gilpin, A. T. (2025). Evaluating qualities of pretend play: Classroom observations and teacher perceptions. Early Education and Development, 1–21. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2025.2557639
Held, L. L., Gilpin, A. T., & Xia, M. (2024). Investigating the skills of a preschool leader: A latent profile analysis. Social Development, 33(2), e12716. https://doi.org/10.1111/sode.12716