Elisa Avellar Merçon-Vargas Human Development and Family

Elisa Avellar Merçon-Vargas
Human Development and Family Studies
University of North Carolina - Greensboro
Greensboro, NC
(336) 500-2192
E-mail: [email protected]
EDUCATION
University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG)
Current
Doctoral Student in the Human development and family studies
program, Greensboro, North Carolina, US
Advisor: Dr. Jonathan Tudge
Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES)
Mar. 2010- April 2012:
M.S. in Psychology, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil.
Thesis: The experience of cohabitation in national and
international adoptions processes: Macrosystem aspecta and
proximal processes [A experiência de convivência em adoção
nacional e internacional: Aspectos macrossistêmicos e processos
proximais].
Advisor: Dr. Edinete Maria Rosa
Committee: Céllia Regina Nascimento (UFES), Débora Dalbosco
Dell’Aglio (UFRGS), Luziane Zacché Avellar.
Thesis Defense Date: March 23, 2012.
Mar. 2005- Dec. 2009:
B.S. Psychology, Vitória, ES, Brazil.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCES
Mar. 2011 – Dec. 2011:
Center of studies and research on adolescence [Núcleo de
estudos e pesquisa em adolescentes – NEPA]. Activities: study
group and research on adolescence. Advisor: Dr. Débora
Dalbosco Dell’Aglio. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
(UFRGS), Porto Alegre-RS, Brazil.
http://nepaufrgs.wix.com/nepa-ufrgs
Mar. 2009 – Dec. 2010:
Center of studies, research, and intervention with children and
adolescents in vulnerability (NECRIAD). Activities: study group,
research, and event organization. Advisor: Dr. Edinete Maria Rosa
and Dr. Céllia Regina Nascimento. UFES, Vitória-ES, Brazil.
http://www3.psicologia.ufes.br/n%C3%BAcleo-de-estudospesquisa-e-interven%C3%A7%C3%A3o-com-crian%C3%A7-eadolescentes-em-situa%C3%A7%C3%A3o-de-vulnerabilidade
Aug. 2008 – Jul. 2009:
Student researcher in the project: The role of the child in the
family of the twentieth century: An intergenerational study with
women [O papel do filho na família do século XX: um estudo
intergeracional entre mulheres], Advisor: Dr. Maria Cristina Smith
Menandro UFES, Vitória-ES, Brazil.
Aug. 2007 – Jul. 2008:
Student researcher in the project: The conception of infancy in the
perspective of children and their parents of working class [A
concepção de infância para crianças de classes populares].
Advisor: Dr. Edinete Maria Rosa, UFES, Vitória-ES, Brazil.
Nov. 2006 – Dec. 2010:
Student researcher in Center of study and research in social
psychology [Rede de estudos em psicologia social – RedePso].
Activities: study group, research, and event organization. Advisor:
Dr. Zeidi Araújo Trindade. UFES, Vitória-ES, Brazil.
http://www3.psicologia.ufes.br/redepso
RESEARCH INTERESTS
- Child and adolescent development
- Cross-cultural research
- Immigration
- Ethnic minorities and cultural diversity
- Moral development
- Children and adolescents in vulnerable situations
- Adoptive families
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Mar. 2012 – Jul. 2012:
Undergraduate professor at Universidade Européia de Vitória
(FAEV).
http://www.faev-es.com.br/a_faev_16.html
April 2012 – Jul. 2012:
Research project analyst at Center of Technical Reference for
Psychology and Public Policy (CREPOP). I was responsible for
coordinating local research in the various areas of psychology and
public policies, and to promote professional mobilization.
http://crp16.org.br/
Mar. 2009 – Dec. 2009:
Internship in the psychosocial service of the family court, under
the
supervision of Dr. Edinete Maria Rosa. UFES, Vitória-ES, Brazil.
Mar. 2009 – Dec. 2009:
Internship in a Community Health center (Promoting Health in the
community) – Therapeutic workshops with mental health patients
in a Primary Health Care Center, under the supervision of Dr.
Maristela Dalbello de Araújo. UFES, Vitória-ES, Brazil.
Dec. 2006 – Mar. 2007:
Internship in the Institute of research and cultural production
[Instituto de Pesquisa e Produção Cultural – ANEXO], in the
project: Cultural Circuit – Survey of social demands from the
population served to carry out the project. Vitória-ES, Brazil.
Aug. 2006 – Mar. 2007:
Internship in the Program [Cada Doido com sua Mania].
Therapeutic workshops with children/adolescents in need of
mental health care. Advisor: Dr. Tania Mara Alves Prates. UFES,
Vitória-ES, Brazil.
http://www.cdsm.ufes.br/inicio.htm
Mar. 2006 – Aug. 2006:
Internship in the Institute of research and cultural production
[Instituto de Pesquisa e Produção Cultural – ANEXO], in the
project: Youth, citizenship, and art – psychosocial support by
thematic workshops with adolescents in vulnerability. Vitória-ES,
Brazil.
COURSES TAUGHT AT UNIVERSIDADE EUROPÉIA DE VITÓRIA (FAEV)
Undergraduate
2012/1: Epistemology of Psychology
2012/1: Psychology: Science and profession
COURSES TAUGHT AT UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO ESPÍRITO SANTO (UFES)
Undergraduate
2010/2: Social Psychology I (Teaching requirement for master program)
PUBLICATIONS
Articles:
Merçon-Vargas, E. A., Pieta, M. A. M., Freitas, L. B. L., & Tudge, J. R. H. (in press). The
wishes and gratitude of students from private and public schools. Psico USF.
Merçon-Vargas, E. A., Rosa, E. M., & Dell'aglio, D. D. (2014). Domestic and international
adoptions: Meanings, motivations, and qualification processes [Adoção nacional e
internacional: Significados, motivações e processos de habilitação]. Revista da
SPAGESP, 15(2), 12-26.
Merçon-Vargas, E. A., Rosa, E. M., & Dell'aglio, D. D. (2011). Domestic and international
adoption: Proximal processes in the period of cohabitation [Adoção nacional e
internacional: Processos proximais no período de convivência]. Salud y Sociedad, 2, p.
268-283.
Brasil, J. A., Fonseca, K. A., Drago, Á. B., Merçon-Vargas, E. A., Freitas, J. B., Bonomo, M., &
Rosa, E. M. (2008). Political participation among adolescents in electoral situation of
optional vote [Participação política entre adolescentes em situação eleitoral de voto
facultativo]. Revista Electrónica de Psicología Política, 8, p. 79-92.
Papers under review:
Ma, A., Merçon-Vargas, E. A., Chambers, B. D., & McKee, T. (under review). Cultural influences
on breastfeeding among recent and long-term or natural-born Hispanic and Latina
mothers: An intrinsic case study.
Tudge, J. R. H., Payir, A., Merçon-Vargas, E. A., Cao, H., Liang, Y., & Li, J. (under review). Still
misused after all these years? A re-evaluation of the uses of Bronfenbrenner’s
bioecological theory of human development.
Publications in progress:
Merçon-Vargas, E. A., Payir, A., Liang, Y., Freitas, L. B. L., & Tudge, J. R. H. (in progress).
Unraveling autonomous-related values: A cross-country comparison of types of wishes
among Brazilian, Chinese, and Turkish children and adolescents
Book chapter:
Tudge, J. R. H., Martins, G. D. F., Merçon-Vargas, E. A., Dellazzana-Zanon, L. L., Piccinini, C.
A., & Freitas, L. B. L. (in press). Children, families, and communities in Brazil: A culturalecological approach to child-rearing values and practices. In C. Højholt (Vol. Ed.) and M.
Fleer & B. v Oers (Handbook Eds.), International handbook on early childhood
education. New York, NY: Springer.
Mendonça, S., Merçon-Vargas, E. A., O’Brien, L., & Tudge, J. R. H. (under review). Child care
in cultural context: Evidence from the United States, Brazil, and Kenia [O cuidado infantil
no contexto cultural: Evidência dos Estados Unidos, Brasil e Quênia].
Merçon-Vargas, E. A., Rosa, E. M., & Dell'aglio, D. D. (under review). The scientific literature
and legal aspects on the topic of national and international adoptions [A produção
científica e os aspectos legais no âmbito da adoção nacional e internacional].
Drago, Á. B., Merçon-Vargas, E. A., Brasil, J. A., Freitas, J. B., Fonseca, K. A., & Rosa, E. M.
(2008). Social representation about politics among sixteen/seventeen years old
adolescents [Representação social de política entre adolescentes de dezesseis e
dezessete anos]. In: E. M. Rosa; L. de Souza; L. Z. Avellar. (Eds.). A Produção da
psicologia social no ES: Memórias, interfaces e compromissos. Vitória: ABRAPSO/ES,
p. 31-38.
Papers published in Conference Proceedings:
Brasil, J. A., Trindade, Z. A., Menandro, M. C. S., Drago, Á. B., Livramento, A. M., Ceotto, E. C.,
Merçon-Vargas, E. A., Freitas, J. B., & Cortez, M. B. (2011). Rationality and hardship:
Social representation of health and illness among men [Racionalidade e sofrimento:
Representações Sociais masculinas de saúde e doença]. In: VII Jornada Internacional e
V Conferência Brasileira sobre Representações Sociais, 2011, Vitória. Teoria das
Representações Sociais 50 anos: Memórias, desafios contemporâneos e perspectivas,
2011.
Merçon-Vargas, E. A., Freitas, J. B., Drago, A. B., Brasil, J. A., & Rosa, E. M. (2009). What
rights is there in childhood? Children’s perceptions about their rights stated in the
Children and Adolescents Statute (ECRIAD) [Quais os Direitos que se tem na Infância?
A percepção de crianças acerca de seus direitos contido no ECRIAD]. In: 4º Encontro
Nacional de Política Social, 2009, Vitória. A crise contemporânea e seus Impactos
Sociais.
Drago, Á. B, Merçon-Vargas, E. A., Brasil, J. A., Freitas, J. B., Fonseca, K. A., & Oliveira, S. P.
(2008). An intervention in the school: Working with educators [Intervenção na escola:
Trabalhando com educadores]. In: VII Congreso Internacional Salud Mental y Derechos
Humanos, 2008, Buenos Aires. VII Congreso Internacional Salud Mental y Derechos
Humanos.
Freitas, J. B., Brasil, J. A., Merçon-Vargas, E. A. Drago, Á. B.; Bonomo, M. (2007). Being Emo:
Processes of identity among young urban tribes [Ser Emo: Processos identitários entre
tribos de jovens urbanos]. In: XIV Encontro Nacional Da Abrapso, 2007, Rio de Janeiro.
Diálogo em psicologia social: Epistemológicos, Metodológicos, Éticos, Políticos,
Estéticos, Políticas Públicas.
Bertollo, M., Rölke, R. K., Trindade, Z. A., Menandro, M. C. S. Drago, Á. B., Merçon-Vargas, E.
A., Freitas,J. B., Fonseca, K. A., & Mendes, F. M. S. (2007). Research on youth
produced within the field of the theory of Social Representations [Pesquisas sobre
juventude produzidas dentro do campo de estudos da teoria das Representações
Sociais]. In: V Jornada Internacional e III Conferência Brasileira Sobre Representações
Sociais, 2007, Brasília. V Jornada Internacional e III Conferência Brasileira Sobre
Representações Sociais.
Presentations:
Merçon-Vargas, E. A., O'Brien, L., Kiang, l., Mendonça, S., Payir, A., Wang, Y., Pieta, M. A.,
Freitas, L., & Tudge, J. (August, 2015). Challenges in conducting cross-cultural research
on gratitude. Symposium presented in the American Psychological Association (APA)
Convention, Toronto, Canada.
Merçon-Vargas, E. A., Freitas, L. B. L., Pieta, M. A., Liang, Y., Mendonça, S., & Tudge, J. R. H.
(March, 2015).Age-related changes in wishes and gratitude among Brazilian children
and adolescents. Poster presented at the Society for Research in Child Development
Biennial Meeting (SRCD), Philadelphia, PA.
Merçon-Vargas, E. A. & Tudge, J. R. H. (March, 2014). Developing gratitude: Changes in the
expression of gratitude among Brazilian children and adolescents. Poster presented at
the Society for Research on Adolescence (SRA), Austin, TX
Merçon-Vargas, E. A., Rosa, E. M., Dell’Aglio, D. D., Tudge, J. R. H., & Wang, D. (April, 2013).
Domestic and international adoption in Brazil: A two-family case study of proximal
processes during the initial cohabitation period. Poster presented at the Society for
Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting (SRCD), Seattle, Washington.
Merçon-Vargas, E. A., Rosa, E. M., Dell’Aglio, D. D., Tudge, J. R. H., Wang, D., & Bello, C.
(March, 2013). Studying proximal processes during the cohabitation period of domestic
and international adoption in Brazil. Paper presented at the Quint State, Auburn,
Alabama.
Tudge, J., Wang, D., Mokrova, I., Wang, Y., Vargas, E., & Freitas (2013, November). Cultural
variations in the expression of gratitude: Research conducted in Brasil, the USA, Russia,
and China [Variações culturais na expressão da gratidão: Pesquisas realizadas no
Brasil, nos Esados Unidos, Rússia e China]. Paper presented as part of a symposium
“The development of gratitude: The values of youth in Brasil, the USA, Russia, and
China” [“O desenvolvimento da gratidão: Valores de jovens no Brasil, Estados Unidos,
Rússia e China”] (J. Tudge, Chair), João Pessoa, Brasil.
FUNDINGS
Aug. 2014-Current:
The John Templeton Foundation Grant.
Aug. 2012-Current:
Graduate Research Assistantship from Coordenação de
Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (Capes) (federal
organization).
Mar. 2010 – April 2012:
Graduate Research Assistantship from Coordenação de
Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (Capes).
Aug. 2008 – Jul. 2009:
Undergraduate Research Assistantship from UFES-Petrobras
(State organization).
Aug. 2007 – Jul. 2008:
Undergraduate Research Assistantship from FACITEC (State
organization).