Monika Abels


Associate Professor


  • Monika Abels, Velina Ninkova :
    Conducting Fieldwork with San and Hadza (Post-)Hunter-Gatherer Communities in Africa: Regulatory and Ethical Issues
    Trends in Psychology 2023 ARKIV / DOI
  • Velina Ninkova, Monika Abels, Andrew Martin Kilale :
    Playing, Working, and Learning in Flux: Perspectives from African Post-forager Childhoods
    Palgrave Macmillan 2023 DOI
  • Monika Abels, Marianna Osokina, Andrew Martin Kilale :
    Sharing food with infants in Hadza communities in Tanzania
    Infant Behavior and Development 2022 ARKIV / DOI
  • Monika Abels, Caroline Bosy, Ingrid-Camilla Myhre Fredriksen :
    Napping alone in the snow and cuddling with mommy at night: An exploratory, qualitative study of Norwegian beliefs on infant sleep
    Infant Behavior and Development 2021 ARKIV / DOI
  • Monika Abels, Andrew Martin Kilale, Paul Vogt :
    Speech acts addressed to Hadza infants in Tanzania: Cross-cultural comparison, speaker age, and camp livelihood
    First language 2020 ARKIV / DOI
  • Monika Abels :
    Triadic interaction and gestural communication: Hierarchical and child-centered interactions of rural and urban gujarati (Indian) caregivers and 9-month-old infants
    Developmental Psychology 2020 ARKIV / DOI
  • Mariek M. P. Vanden Abeele, Monika Abels, Andrew T. Hendrickson :
    Are Parents Less Responsive to Young Children When They Are on Their Phones? A Systematic Naturalistic Observation Study
    CyberPsychology, Behavior and Social Networking 09. April 2020 ARKIV / DOI
  • Vårinn Hauan Nilsen, Gabriella Oturai, Monika Abels :
    Preschool Staff's Child-Rearing Values and Behaviors in Relation to Children's Theory of Mind understanding in Norway
    2024
  • Vårinn Hauan Nilsen, Gabriella Oturai, Monika Abels :
    Norwegian preschool staff’s child-rearing values and behaviors in relation to children's Theory of Mind understanding
    2023
  • Vårinn Hauan Nilsen, Gabriella Oturai, Monika Abels :
    Norwegian preschool staff’s child-rearing values and behaviors in relation to children's Theory of Mind understanding.
    2023
  • Gabriella Oturai, Annette Sundqvist, Paula Döge, Monika Abels :
    Distinguishing Real and Apparent Emotions: Preschoolers’ Hidden Emotion Understanding in Different Cultural and Social Contexts (EADP Collaboration project symposium)
    2023
  • Paula Döge, Monika Abels, Gabriella Oturai, Annette Sundqvist :
    Preschoolers’ understanding of hidden emotions: what can be learned from testing multiple emotions across varying social contexts?
    2023
  • Monika Abels, Paula Döge, Gabriella Oturai, Annette Sundqvist :
    Cultural differences in children’s understanding of hidden emotions
    2023
  • Monika Abels :
    Hva gjør forskningsgruppen barns utvikling? Aktiviteter til barn, b.a.: Vet du om noe som kan spises fra havet?
    2022
  • Monika Abels, Gabriella Óturai, Gunn Kristin Øberg, Ragnhild B. Håkstad :
    A cross-cultural view on infant stimulation
    2022
  • Monika Abels, Velina Ninkova :
    Children’s work and play in two sub-Saharan (post-)hunter-gatherer societies
    2022
  • Monika Abels :
    Aktivitet under Utforsk UiT, Forskningsdagene 2019 Children's ethnotheories about baby care
    2019
  • Monika Abels, Solveig Flatebø, Mikołaj Hernik, Gabriella Óturai :
    Populærvitenskapelig presentasjon om utviklingspsykologisk forskning for videregående skoleelever
    2019
  • Monika Abels :
    Kultur: alles anders, oder doch nicht?
    2019
  • Solveig Flatebø, Monika Abels, Gabriella Óturai, Mikołaj Hernik :
    Stand på Forskningstorget og Åpen lab på Forskningsdagene
    2019

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    Publications outside Cristin

    Non-peer reviewed publications:

    Abels, M & Eickhorst, A. (2016). Von Babys, Familien und Kulturen. [Of babies, families and cultures.] Hebammenforum.

    Abels, M. (2010). Pointing- some thoughts on functions and cultural influences. Comments on Carpendale, J.I.M., & Carpendale, A.B.: 'The development of pointing: From personal directedness to interpersonal direction'. Human development: Letters to the editor, 53 (3). http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?Aktion=JournalSpecials&ProduktNr=224249

    Abels, M. (2010). Abschlussbericht. Fit für den Start... und das Baby kann kommen. Osnabrücker Modell. Entwicklung eines flächendeckenden Präventionsangebotes für Mütter / Eltern und Kinder. Von der Schwangerschaft bis ins 1. Lebensjahr. [Final report. Ready for the start... let the baby come. A model from Osnabrück. Development of a preventive offer for mothers /parents and children. From pregnancy to the first year of life.] nifbe.de/pdf_show_projects.php?id=42

    Abels, M. (2009) Fit für den Start... und das Baby kann kommen. [Ready for the start... let the baby come.] In: nifbe (niedersächsisches Institut für frühkindliche Bildung und Entwicklung)- Forschungsstelle Entwicklung, Lernen und Kultur. Jahresbericht 2008, pp. 35-39.

    Abels, M., Elixmann, B. & Hoffmann, U. (2008, 2009). Projektskizze: Fit für den Start. [Project layout: Ready for the start.]

    Abels, M. (2006). Das also ist Bangalore. [So this is Bangalore.] In: Autoren ohne Grenzen: Auf nach Indien. Hamburg: traveldiary.de Reiseliteratur Verlag. S.37-39.

    Keller, H. & Abels, M. (2001). The socialization of competence. Two cultures of infancy. http://www.unifr.ch/ipg/ARIC/8eCongres/DocsOrig/KellerH%20AbelsM.pdf no longer retrieveable


    Research interests

    My research focuses on the interplay between eco-cultural factors and child development. 

    Among other aspects, I am interested in caregivers' (ethno)theories on childrearing and cultural norms and values. For instance, I have studied (mainly Indian) caregivers' theories on the expression of emotional warmth towards babies and baby massage. More recently we have explored Norwegian mothers' thoughts on infants' sleeping places. Currently, we are conducting research into Norwegian caregivers' resolution of everyday conflicts with their infants and children's emotional development.

    I also study caregiving behaviors and infants'/children's experiences which are assumed to shape children's development. An important part of this research consists of observational studies. For example, we have observed which behaviors caregivers from different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds prioritize when interacting with infants (such as body contact, playing with objects) or how mobile phone use is related to caregivers' responses to their children's signals. An aspect of these caregiving behaviors is also how infants are spoken to. 

    A related topic of research that I am interested in is children's understanding of others (Theory of Mind, emotion understanding) and their emotion regulation. We try to understand how these developments are related to their caregivers' behaviors and values. 

    Much of my research has been conducted with farming families in Gujarat, India and more recently with Hadza (hunter-gatherer) families in Tanzania. These experiences have led to an enhanced interest in research ethics and ecological validity of research methods.

    Teaching

    I have been or am currently teaching in the following courses:

    PSY-1001 Innføring i generell psykologi
    PSY-2502 Utviklingspsykologi i et livsløpsperspektiv
    PSY-2705 Fordypningsemne i barns utvikling
    PSY-2707 Praksis og praksisrelatert undervisning
    PSY-3000 Research Proseminar
    HEL-8040 Theory of science, research ethics and research design

    I am also happy to guide you in the following:
    PSY-2002 Bacheloroppgave
    PSY-2901 Hovedoppgave
    PSY-3000 Research Proseminar
    PSY-3900 Masteroppgave


    Member of research group