Dr Romina Vivaldi

Senior Lecturer

Health, Education, Policing and Sciences

I completed my first degree in Psychology at the National University of my hometown: Rosario, Argentina in 2009. After working as a research assistant for a year, I joined the National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET) as a doctoral fellow for the following 5 years. After this, I was awarded with my PhD at the National University of Cordoba, Argentina in 2016. I then worked as a postdoctoral fellow at CONICET for another two years. I had also worked in a teaching position at the Educational Psychology School at the Universidad del Gran Rosario [University of the Great Rosario] from 2012 to 2019. I finally joined the Department of Psychology of Staffordshire University as a Lecturer in April, 2019.

Professional memberships and activities

British Psychological Society
Society for Research in Child Development

Academic qualifications

PhD Summa Cum Laude on ‘The influence of referential intentionality in the emergence of understanding, production and use of drawings’, School of Psychology, National University of Cordoba, Argentina, 2016

BSc Psychology (First Class), School of Psychology, National University of Rosario, Argentina, 2009

Expertise

Developmental and educational psychology;

Gender studies

Research interests

My main area of research is in symbolic development, especially as it relates to children and pictures. I am also very interested in gender development and stereotypes as well as in equality, diversity and inclusion more broadly from both a developmental and educational perspective.

Teaching

At Undergraduate level I currently contribute to the following modules:

  • Foundations in Psychology
  • Perspectives in Psychology
  • People Behaving Badly
  • Understanding the Social World
  • Typical and Atypical Development
  • Children and Pictures
  • Psychological Interventions
  • Psychology project

Publications

My main area of research is in symbolic development, especially as it relates to pictures.
I am also very interested in occupational gender stereotypes.

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2642-9281

Selected Publications

  • Vivaldi, R. A., & Allen, M. L. (2021). Beyond literal depiction: Children's flexible understanding of pictures. Journal of experimental child psychology, 210, 105208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105208

 

  • Vivaldi, R. A., Jolley, R. P., & Rose, S. E. (2020). From mind to picture: A systematic review on children’s and adolescents’ understanding of the link between artists and pictures. Developmental Review, 55, 100895. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.DR.2020.100895

 

  • Rodríguez, J., Gariboldi, M. B., Vivaldi, R. & Salsa, A. (2019). Geometric maps as tools for different purposes in early childhood. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 186, 33-44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2019.05.004

 

  • Salsa, A. M. & Vivaldi, R. A. (2017). Developmental changes in early comprehension and production of drawings: Evidence from two socioeconomic backgrounds. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 178(4), 217-228. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221325.2017.1328385

 

  • Vivaldi, R. A. & Salsa, A. M. (2017). Drawing for others: influence of referential intention in early production of drawings. Journal for the Study of Education and Development, 40(1),56-87.

 

  • Salsa, A. M. & Vivaldi, R. A. (2016). Pedagogical cues to artist’s intention in young children’s understanding of drawings. Journal of Cognition and Development,17(5),786-799 https://doi.org/10.1080/15248372.2015.1042578

 

  • Vivaldi, R. A. (2015). La mente detrás de la imagen: relaciones entre psicología folk y comprensión temprana de imágenes como símbolos [The mind behind the picture: Links between folk Psychology and early understanding of pictures as symbols].Revista Intercontinental de Psicología y Educación, 17(1), 57-78.

 

  • Vivaldi, R. A. & Salsa, A. M. (2015). Intencionalidad del dibujante: producción y uso de dibujos propios en niños preescolares [Artist’s intentionality: Production and use of preschool children’s own drawings]. Revista IRICE,28,113-134.

 

  • Vivaldi, R. A. & Salsa, A. M. (2014). La intencionalidad referencial del dibujante: su papel en la comprensión temprana de dibujos como símbolos [Artist’s referential intention in early understanding of drawings as symbols]. Estudios de Psicología, 35(2),298-318.

 

  • Salsa, A. M. & Vivaldi, R. A. (2012). Del objeto al símbolo: aspectos cognitivos y sociales del conocimiento infantil sobre las imágenes [From object to symbol: Cognitive and social aspects of children’s knowledge of pictures]. Interdisciplinaria, 29,133 - 149.

 

For a more comprehensive list of publications, please see my ORCID page: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2642-9281

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Facilities

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Social Inclusion

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

Four Star Rating

QS Star Ratings 2021