Pascal Boyer's work as head of the Memory & Development Lab is aimed at describing neuro-cognitive systems  that [a] are part of the normal make-up of human minds as a result of  evolution by natural selection and [b] support the acquisition of  cultural knowledge, concepts and norms. A good part of this research  consists in experimental studies of adults and young children in  natural and lab contexts. Current studies focus on anxiety and ritual  behavior, on source memory and on early numerical capacities.

Jim Wertsch studies the psychological, cultural, and semiotic dimensions of collective memory. The topic of collective memory as recently been the focus of renewed interest in many disciplines in the humanities and social sciences, and it is the focus of integrated research and teaching at Washington University. This involves colleagues in Anthropology such as Pascal Boyer and Psychology such as Roddy Roediger. Boyer and Wertsch are currently editing a volume on memory studies for Cambridge University Press.

Hyeon-Jung Lee is currently writing her dissertation on the problem of suicide among women in rural China.  The issue is compounded by competing conceptions of womanhood at local levels, coupled with state-level influences on subjectivity and self-identity.  Her 18-month field research was funded by NSF and Wenner-Gren Foundation.

Anubha Sood is studying caste and class aspects of psychiatric treatment in India.