Tracy R. Gleason, associate professor of psychology,
received a B.A. from Dartmouth College in 1990. She
completed her Ph.D. in child psychology, with a minor in
interpersonal relationships, at the Institute of Child
Development at the University of Minnesota in 1998. She
joined the Wellesley College faculty in 1998.
Most of Gleason's research has been concentrated on
exploring and describing the relationships that some
preschool-aged children have with imaginary companions.
The phenomenon of imaginary companions has not received a
great deal of attention in the psychological literature
and is not well understood, so one goal of her research
is to provide a definitive description of pretend friends
with an eye toward how they might function in
development. Studying the ways in which children talk
about, and sometimes interact with, imaginary companions
has the potential to illuminate how young children
understand and think about social relationships in
particular.
At Wellesley, Gleason teaches introductory psychology and
introductory research methods courses in developmental psychology, as
well as an upper-level seminar on young children's
relationships, both real and imaginary, and social uses of imagination. She is
particularly interested in emphasizing how psychological
principles of development can be applied to real life,
including their implications for policies regarding
children and families.
Gleason's senior thesis students have worked on
projects relating to imaginary companions and to
young children's perceptions of their social
relationships.
Gleason also serves as the Psychological Director of the Wellesley College Child Study Center. A former preschool teacher, she is interested in advocating for excellence in early childhood education. During her
leisure time, Gleason plays the oboe in a local orchestra
and enjoys swimming.