Laura Wray-Lake, Doctoral Candidate in Human Development and Family Studies

Pennsylvania State University/Social Contract in Virtual Worlds Research Group

Three Expertise Keywords:
Civic-Engagement, Social-Contract, Values

Why Digital Media and Learning?

I am interested in virtual worlds because they offer an exciting new forum for understanding how individuals explore values, express behaviors, and negotiate relationships differently than they can or do in the physical world. 

Recent Posts:

1. Laura Wray-Lake: Exploring Values in Virtual Worlds (September 20, 2007)

Description of Current Work:

My current work focuses on the development of civic values across the lifespan, how these values are expressed in behaviors, and the family‚Äôs role in civic development. 

Selected Publications/Projects/Articles/Press:

Wray-Lake, L., Syvertsen, A. K., & Flanagan, C. A. (in press).  Contested citizenship and social exclusion:  Adolescent Arab-American immigrants’ views of the social contract.  Applied Developmental Science Special Issue: Civic Engagement and Immigrants.

Wray, L., & Flanagan, C. (2006, September 11).  An Inconvenient Truth about Youth. The Washington Post, p.A16. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/10/AR2006091001133.html

Wray, L. D., & Flanagan, C. A.  (2005, Fall).  Value development and civic engagement.  American Psychological Association Children, Youth, and Families Committee News (pp.13-15).  http://www.apa.org/pi/cyf/fall_05.pdf