Nancy Darling

  • Professor of Psychology

Areas of Study

Education

  • BS, Cornell University, 1981
  • MS, Cornell University, 1987
  • PhD, Cornell University, 1990

Biography

Adolescent social relations encompass changing relationships with parents and peers, the initiation of romantic relationships, and an expanding social world that includes greater and more unsupervised interactions with the community and a more sophisticated and multidimensional conception of peers. My current work focuses on adolescents' and parents' beliefs about the legitimate authority of doctors and how this predicts adherence and information sharing in the context of chronic pain.

As a developmental psychologist, my research focuses on how adolescents influence and are influenced by these social relationships and how these different social spheres interact to change the course of individual development. Because many of these processes aren't amenable to experimental manipulation (they don't let you randomly assign parental divorce to adolescents to see how it affects them), I have become particularly interested in two different aspects of the study of psychology: contextual variability and research methods. My current work focuses on adolescents' and parents' beliefs about the legitimate authority of doctors and how this predicts adherence and information sharing in the context of chronic pain.

Nancy Darling's lab

Although all scientists work to develop generalizable models, developmental psychologists in particular have focused on looking at lawful variability in basic processes. For example, does severe, strict parenting have the same influence on children living in dangerous urban environments as it does on youth in the suburbs? Does it have similar effects on boys and girls? On youth in the Philippines and the United States?

Natural variability in basic processes across different individuals and in different situations provides critical insight into human development and has in some ways substituted for experimental manipulation in aspects of social development not well suited to laboratory study. Interest in contextual variability has led me to study adolescents in Tanzania, Japan, the Philippines, Chile, Italy, Sweden, and in many different types of communities within the United States. And the complexity of these processes and the need to understand how the development of individuals is embedded in their relationships with others has led to a deep interest in statistics and research methods.

Our science is only as good as our models.

My current research has two foci.

The Continuity of Close Relationships Project combines observational and survey research to better understand healthy friendships romantic relationships in adolescence and middle adulthood.

A second project, Following Doctors Orders, grows out of my work on adolescent obedience and disclosure. 5% of adolescents in the United States live with life-changing chronic pain. This project examines adolescents' and parents' beliefs about the legitimacy of authority with regards to lifestyle changes and pain rehabilitation and how these beliefs influence patient adherence and honesty in the doctor-patient relationship.

  • Darling, N., Salter, R. M., & Burns, I.R.D.* (2020). NOVA: A Novel Tool for Collaborative Agent-Based and Dynamic Systems Modeling. In W. F. Porter, J. Zhao, L. Schmitt Olabisi, & M. McNall (Eds.), Innovations in Collaborative Modeling. Lansing, MI:Michigan State University Press (32-50).
  • Hadiwijaya, H.#, Klimstra, TA, Darling, N., Vermunt, JK, Branje, S. Weeus, WHJ. (2020). The Family Context as Foundation for Romantic Relationships: A Person-Centered Multi-Informant Longitudinal Study. Journal of Family Psychology.
  • Darling, N. & Burns, I.R.D.* (2019). Matching Methods to Theory: Using Dynamic Systems Models To Understand Nested Systems of Adolescent Development. In. S. Kunnen (Eds.) Psychosocial Development in Adolescence: Insights from the Dynamic Systems Approach. Abington:Routledge Press.
  • Darling, N., & Tilton-Weaver, L. (2019). All in the family: Within-family differences in parental monitoring and adolescent information management. Developmental Psychology. 55 (2), 390-402. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/dev0000641
  • Morean, M.E., Darling, N. Smit, J., Wergeles, M., Kurzer-Yashin, D., Custer, K., DeFeis, J., & MacFaden, S. (2018). Preventing and Responding to Sexual Misconduct (PRSM): Preliminary efficacy of a peer-led bystander intervention training program for preventing sexualized violence among student athletes. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 1-27. DOI: 1177/0886260518777555
  • Kajula, L.J., Darling, N., Kaaya, S. & Vries, H., & (2016). Parenting Practices and Styles Associated with Adolescent Sexual Health in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. AIDS Care, 28 (11), 1467-1472. DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2016.1191598.

Fall 2024

Advanced Methods in Adolescent Development — PSYC 304
Teaching Assistant — PSYC 500
Practicum in Psychology — PSYC 501
Supervised Research in Psychology - Full — PSYC 510F
Supervised Research in Psychology - Half — PSYC 510H
Senior Portfolio - Half — PSYC 599H

Spring 2025

Research Methods I — PSYC 200
Advanced Methods in Adolescent Development — PSYC 304
Teaching Assistant — PSYC 500
Practicum in Psychology — PSYC 501
Supervised Research in Psychology - Full — PSYC 510F
Supervised Research in Psychology - Half — PSYC 510H
Senior Portfolio - Half — PSYC 599H

Notes

Nancy Darling and Students Present Research on Adolescents

April 24, 2024

Professor of Psychology Nancy Darling and five students presented research at the biennial meeting of the Society of Research on Adolescence in Chicago. Their work on adolescent beliefs about sharing information and lying to parents and doctors about traditional medical procedures and lifestyle changes has important implications for understanding medical adherence. Joining Darling at the April meeting were Sophia Carter, Bridget Duquette, Dante Holland, Xuehan Luo, and Nam Nguyen.

Nancy Darling Talks Parenting on NPR Podcast

January 17, 2024

Professor of Psychology Nancy Darling was interviewed about parenting and parenting style on NPR’s Connection podcast with Marty Moss-Coane. She discussed best parenting practices in developmental, cultural, and historical contexts.

Nancy Darling launches 1step2life app

October 2, 2020

Professor and Chair of Psychology Nancy Darling developed and launched the 1step2life app to support people living with severe persistent pain. Based in cutting-edge developmental and rehabilitation science, the app helps people living with pain focus on their progress and functioning rather than their pain. Starting where they are now, it allows them to set goals, log emotions and daily activities, and visualize their progress. It has modes for both patients and caregivers, supporting effective coaching as well as rehabilitation. The app was funded by the college's LaunchU Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition. Darling worked with a team of psychology students on the research and development of the app. Now available on both the App Store and Google Play. 

Nancy Darling Publishes CNN Series

July 17, 2020

Professor of Psychology Nancy Darling published the third piece in a CNN series focused on recent graduates. Darling authored two pieces in the series and was mentioned in a third. 

Nancy Darling's Work Featured in Op-Ed

July 16, 2020

Professor of Psychology Nancy Darling's work was discussed in an op-ed in the New York Times. 
 

Nancy Darling Featured in CNN Article

June 27, 2020

Professor of Psychology Nancy Darling was featured in a CNN article on the resilience of 2020 graduates.

News

2022 Winter Term Recap

March 11, 2022

More than 2,290 students explored projects and research opportunities outside of their normal course of study during Winter Term. In this wrap-up gallery we look back at some of the group projects students performed.

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