Welcome to the Learning and Motivational Beliefs Lab!
The LAMB lab is directed by Dr. Katie Muenks and is located in the Educational Psychology department at the University of Texas at Austin.
We study what motivates students to learn and how teachers, parents, and peers can create equitable and motivationally supportive environments. We take a social-cognitive approach to studying motivation, emphasizing people’s beliefs about and perceptions of themselves and others. Ultimately, our goal is to contribute to knowledge about best supporting all students’ learning and reducing inequities in educational outcomes.
Most, though not all, of our work is with adolescent (middle and high school) and college-aged students, as well as their teachers, parents, and peers. Most of our research is conducted within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) contexts. We collaborate often and hold a joint weekly lab meeting with the Science of Learning and Metacognition Lab.
Members of the SLAM lab and the LAMB lab are sometimes referred to jointly as SLAMB lab!
Dr. Muenks is on Modified Instructional Leave in Fall 2024 and is not planning to accept new graduate students for the 2025-2026 school year.
Click here for more information about applying to the HDCLS program.
The Department of Educational Psychology is currently ranked 9th in the nation among public institutions by U.S. News & World Report.