Exploring Social Worlds
About Me
Welcome to my site! I’m Yulia Kuzmina, a researcher specializing in educational studies, developmental and cognitive psychology, and psychometrics.
I used to work at the Center for Psychometrics and Measurement in Education at the Institute of Education, National Research University “Higher School of Economics” (Moscow, Russia), and at the Laboratory of Developmental Behavioral Genetics at the Psychological Institute of the Russian Academy of Education. In 2023, I relocated to Belgrade and currently work as an independent researcher.
As an independent researcher, I decided to create this site and blog to explore a variety of topics, including the history of psychology and psychometrics, the theoretical and statistical crises in psychology, and methodological challenges in social sciences. Additionally, I will share insights and findings from my past and ongoing research. You can find a more detailed overview of my blog's topics HERE.
During my academic career, I focused on both research and teaching. I taught several Master's-level courses, including Advanced Data Analysis in Social Science and Cognitive Psychology and Psychometrics.
I am proficient in a wide range of data analysis methods, including:
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Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)
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Quasi-experimental methods (e.g., regression discontinuity design, propensity score matching, fixed effects models)
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Multilevel regression analysis
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Longitudinal data analysis (e.g., mixed-effects growth models, latent class growth models, latent transition analysis)
Additionally, I have significant experience in designing surveys and tests, as well as conducting psychometric analyses.
Technical Skills
I have advanced proficiency in statistical and psychometric tools such as R, Stata, Mplus, Winsteps, Python, HLM, and SPSS, which I use to carry out complex analyses in both educational and psychological research.
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My publications
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My education and training
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My Google Scholar page​​
Research Focus
Educational studies
My research primarily explored the personal and school-related factors that influence academic achievement and career choices. I have analyzed data from large-scale international educational studies such as PISA, TIMSS, PIAAC, and PIRLS. Additionally, I have investigated the development of academic self-concept and academic motivation, and I am especially interested in how social comparison affects academic achievement and motivation (e.g., upward comparison, Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect, and relative deprivation).
Cognitive psychology
In the field of cognitive psychology, my work focused on the development of numerical cognition, with a particular interest in studying the mechanisms of nonsymbolic numerosity representations. I published several papers focused on investigation of mechanisms of functioning the Approximate Number System and its development.
Psychometrics
In psychometrics, my experience includes developing and adapting instruments to investigate personal characteristics such as grit, academic motivation, and self-concept. Additionally, I led a research group called "Cognitive Psychometrics" for two years, where we explored the historical relationship between psychometrics and cognitive studies, as well as the challenges of reliably measuring individual differences in cognitive research.
