Researcher biography
My research interests are in social and developmental psychology, focusing on connectedness, participation, and the development of gender and social cognition. I was a dancer with the Queensland Ballet before completing my Bachelor of Psychological Science and PhD at the University of Queensland. Hence, I am also interested in the role of The Arts in mental health and well-being for all. My research is primarily conducted within the Social Identity and Groups Network and The Early Cognitive Development Centre.
Journal Articles
Brook, Elizabeth, Rankin, Peter, Farrell, Callyn, Houen, Sandy, Thorpe, Karen and Mulvihill, Aisling (2026). Talking Minds: Group Gender Composition and Educators’ Mental State Language in Early Childhood Education and Care. Social Development, 35 (3) e70061. doi: 10.1111/sode.70061
Mulvihill, Aisling, Farrell, Callyn, Sanderson, Ellen, Gilmore, Linda, Cuskelly, Monica and Slaughter, Virginia (2026). One book, two minds: Understanding differences in maternal mental state talk during storytelling across siblings. Cognitive Development, 78 101703, 101703-78. doi: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2026.101703
Farrell, Callyn, Mulvihill, Aisling, Slaughter, Virginia and Thai, Michael (2025). From dolls to trucks: factors associated with adults' gender‐typing of children's toys. International Journal of Psychology, 61 (1) e70150, e70150. doi: 10.1002/ijop.70150
Farrell, Callyn, Mulvihill, Aisling, Slaughter, Virginia and Thai, Michael (2025). Beyond the toy box: how Australian adults prescribe toys based on child gender expression and assigned sex. Diversity & Inclusion Research, 3 (1) e70045. doi: 10.1002/dvr2.70045
Farrell, Callyn, Mulvihill, Aisling and Slaughter, Virginia (2025). Using a continuous measure of child gender identity to explore mother–child agreement. Social Development, 35 (1) e70036. doi: 10.1111/sode.70036
Farrell, Callyn, Slaughter, Virginia and Mulvihill, Aisling (2025). Participation and Experiences in Extracurricular Activities for Children With Developmental Language Disorder and Their Peers. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 60 (6) e70134, 1-11. doi: 10.1111/1460-6984.70134
Farrell, Callyn, Sanderson, Ellen, Mulvihill, Aisling, Thai, Michael and Slaughter, Virginia (2025). Parents' mental state language and child gender: a scoping review of developmental evidence. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 43 (2), 396-417. doi: 10.1111/bjdp.12502
Farrell, Callyn, Slaughter, Virginia, McAuliffe, Tomomi and Mulvihill, Aisling (2023). Participation and experiences in extracurricular activities for autistic and neurotypical children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 54 (11), 1-15. doi: 10.1007/s10803-023-06142-z
Farrell, Callyn, Slaughter, Virginia, Thai, Michael and Mulvihill, Aisling (2023). How we talk to kids: adults prefer different forms of language for children based on gender expression. Sex Roles, 89 (3-4), 119-134. doi: 10.1007/s11199-023-01393-7
Dingle, Genevieve A., Sharman, Leah S., Bauer, Zoe, Beckman, Emma, Broughton, Mary, Bunzli, Emma, Davidson, Robert, Draper, Grace, Fairley, Sheranne, Farrell, Callyn, Flynn, Libby Maree, Gomersall, Sjaan, Hong, Mengxun, Larwood, Joel, Lee, Chiying, Lee, Jennifer, Nitschinsk, Lewis, Peluso, Natalie, Reedman, Sarah Elizabeth, Vidas, Dianna, Walter, Zoe C. and Wright, Olivia Renee Louise (2021). How do music activities affect health and well-being? A scoping review of studies examining psychosocial mechanisms. Frontiers in Psychology, 12 713818, 713818. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.713818
Conference Paper
Taubert, Jessica, MacColl, Cate, Farrell, Callyn, Robinson, Amanda K., Slaughter, Virginia and Mattingley, Jason B. (2025). Human-animal interactions recalibrate the face-selective network in children. Vision Sciences Society Annual Meeting 2025, St. Pete Beach, FL United States, 16-20 May 2025. Rockville, MD United States: Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. doi: 10.1167/jov.25.9.2260
Thesis
Farrell, Callyn (2025). Talk, toys, and gender: investigating the influence of child gender in socialisation contexts. PhD Thesis, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/f093684