Michael E. Lamb is a professor and former Head of the then Department of Social and Developmental Psychology
In 2003 Lamb was the recipient of the 2003–2004 James McKeen Cattell Fellow Award from the Association for Psychological Science
Lamb graduated in 1972 with a B.A. degree from the University of Natal
He subsequently obtained a masters degree at Johns Hopkins University followed by a Ph.D. in 1976 from Yale University
Michael wrote his dissertation on The relationships between infants and their mothers and fathers
Lamb researches early family relationships, child care, developmental science and related public policy
This work has focused on divorce, child custody, child maltreatment, and the effects of child care on children’s sociological emotional development
In 2010 Michael Lamb was to testify in the Perry v. Schwarzenegger trial which challenged the constitutionality of California Proposition 8 against same-sex marriage
Lamb has done extensive research on shared parenting after divorce
He has stated that hundreds of papers show a higher risk of maladjustment in children when parents have separated and that maintaining a relationship with both parents minimizes the risk and the bad effects of parental separation