TELLI DAVOODI, PH.D.

I am a cognitive developmental psychologist by academic training and a senior social science researcher by profession. I use cross-cultural and developmental research approaches to study social cognition. My research focuses on the role of the socio-cultural environment in learning, forming beliefs, and reasoning about abstract social constructs, like gender, nationality, religion, or the idea of ownership. Within this framework, I also study religious cognition to uncover the relative contributions of, and interactions between, cognition and culture in forming beliefs about supernatural entities (e.g., God) and abstract scientific entities (e.g., germs). On my Research page, you can find out more about my research program and projects I am excited about. 

I'm currently a research director at Gallup and work with multi-functional teams to uncover and communicate actionable insights through rigorous research and analytics. I work with a diverse set of global clients and enjoy leading custom research projects that focus on measuring, tracking, and improving aspects of the human experience. My research portfolio centers on well-being, mental health, and flourishing among children and youth globally.

 Before starting research outside of academia, I worked with Tania Lombrozo as a Research Fellow at Princeton University, where I developed a theory for explaining the functional roles of religious and scientific cognition. I am also affiliated with Boston University, where I work on a grant I received from the John Templeton Foundation, together with Kathleen Corriveau, investigating how anxiety about adverse circumstances may be related to belief in the supernatural.  

I actively seek out opportunities to work with young researchers, students, and communities from underrepresented backgrounds. I believe in breaking monopolies of knowledge through genuine and fruitful relationships with underrepresented communities. These relationships not only promote justice and equity but also have the potential to expand science in unimaginable ways. If you are curious about ways to do that, check out the Inak Network here.