Dr. M. (Milica) Nikolic
Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
Programme group: Developmental psychopathology
Visiting address
- Nieuwe Achtergracht 127
Postal address
-
Postbus 15776
1001 NG Amsterdam
Contact details
-
Profile
Short biography
I received my bachelor's degree in Psychology in 2008 at the University of Novi Sad, Serbia and my master's degree in Psychology in 2009 at Belgrade University, Serbia. I obtained my Ph.D. in 2017 under the supervision of Professor Susan Bögels at the Research Institute of Child Development and Education at the University of Amsterdam. In my Ph.D. thesis, I investigated whether heightened self-conscious emotions and disturbances in social cognition contribute to the development of children's social anxiety disorder symptoms. As a post-doc, I have been working with Dr. Disa Sauter, Dr. Christian Keysers, and Dr. Valeria Gazzola at Amsterdam Brain and Cognition and at the Comparative Psychology and Affective Neuroscience Lab, Leiden University led by Dr. Mariska Kret. Since then, I have supervised PhD candidates Julia Folz, Iliana Samara, Chris Riddell, and Ruya Akdag. Their work focuses on mimicry, emotion perception, emotion expression, and cooperation. Since 2021, I have been appointed assistant professor in the developmental psychopathology group at the Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam where I continue my work on the intersection between social cognition and emotion throughout human development currently supported by NWO Veni grant.
Research interests
I am interested in understanding how young children develop capacities to navigate the social world successfully. My research examines how, when, and why children develop social emotions and how they are intertwined with socio-cognitive skills. I study emotions and social cognition using naturalistic tasks to evoke observable behaviours. I use precise micro-codings of videos and neuro-physiological measures to capture children's emotions.
Academic service
I am a PhD Development and Education coordinator at the Research Institute of Child Development and Education. I also serve on the board of the International Society for Research on Emotion.
-
Publications
- refereed (34)
- professional (1)
- popular scientific (2)
- conference contributions (7)
- recognitions (13)
- doctoral thesis (1)
- datasets (1)
2024
- Folz, J., Nikolić, M., & Kret, M. E. (2024). Individual differences in interoception and autistic traits share altered facial emotion perception, but not recognition per se. Scientific Reports, 14, Article 19455 . https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-70299-5
- Folz, J., Roth, T. S., Nikolić, M., & Kret, M. E. (2024). Who gets caught by the emotion? Attentional biases toward emotional facial expressions and their link to social anxiety and autistic traits. Current Psychology, 43(4), 3486–3502. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04484-6
- Nikolic, M., di Plinio, S., Sauter, D. A., Keysers, C. M., & Gazzola, V. (2024). The Blushing Brain: Neural Substrates of Cheek Temperature Increase in Response to Self-Observation. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 291, Article 20240958. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rspb.2024.0958
- Riddell, C., Nikolic, M., Dusseldorp, E., & Kret, M. E. (2024). Age-Related Changes in Emotion Recognition Across Childhood: A Meta-Analytic Review. Psychological Bulletin, 150(9), 1094–1117. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000442
Sun, R., Liu, Y., Vitale, V., Engels, T., Fadhlia, T. N., Sharaf, S., Pauw, L., Cong, Y.-Q., Nikolic, M., Israelashvili, J., Kamiloğlu, R. G., Manokara, K., Cáceres Quezada, E., Sauter, D., & Emotional experience and wellbeing during the COVID-19 Pandemic (Emotion) project (2024). Emotional Experiences and Psychological Well-Being in 51 Countries During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Emotion, 24(2), 397-411. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0001235, https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0001235 [details]
2023
- Folz, J., Akdag, R., Nikolic, M., van Steenbergen, H., & Kret, M. E. (2023). Facial mimicry and metacognitive judgments in emotion recognition are distinctly modulated by social anxiety and autistic traits. Scientific Reports, 13, Article 9730. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-35773-6 [details]
- Nikolić, M., Brummelman, E., Orobio de Castro, B., Jorgensen, T. D., & Colonnesi, C. (2023). Parental socialization of guilt and shame in early childhood. Scientific Reports, 13, Article 11767. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-38502-1 [details]
- Nikolić, M., Brummelman, E., de Castro, B. O., Jorgensen, T. D., & Colonnesi, C. (2023). Author Correction: Parental socialization of guilt and shame in early childhood. Scientific Reports, 13, Article 14741. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-42125-x
- Samara, I., Roth, T. S., Nikolic, M., Prochazkova, E., & Kret, M. E. (2023). Can third-party observers detect attraction in others based on subtle nonverbal cues? Current Psychology, 42, 18928-18942. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-02927-0 [details]
- Stamkou, E., Brummelman, E., Dunham, R., Nikolic, M., & Keltner, D. (2023). Awe sparks prosociality in children. Psychological Science, 34(4), 455–467. https://doi.org/10.1177/09567976221150616 [details]
- van Trigt, S., Colonnesi, C., Brummelman, E., Jorgensen, T. D., & Nikolic, M. (2023). Autistic traits and self-conscious emotions in early childhood. Child Development, 94(4), e181–e196. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13921 [details]
2022
- Brummelman, E., Nikolic, M., Nevicka, B., & Bögels, S. M. (2022). Early physiological indicators of narcissism and self-esteem in children. Psychophysiology, 59(10), Article e14082. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.14082 [details]
- Folz, J., Fiacchino, D., Nikolić, M., van Steenbergen, H., & Kret, M. E. (2022). Reading Your Emotions in My Physiology? Reliable Emotion Interpretations in Absence of a Robust Physiological Resonance. Affective Science, 3(2), 480-497. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42761-021-00083-5 [details]
- MacGowan, T. L., Colonnesi, C., Nikolić, M., & Schmidt, L. A. (2022). Expressions of shyness and theory of mind in children: A psychophysiological study. Cognitive Development, 61, Article 101138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2021.101138 [details]
- Nikolić, M., Hannigan, L. J., Krebs, G., Sterne, A., Gregory, A. M., & Eley, T. C. (2022). Aetiology of shame and its association with adolescent depression and anxiety: results from a prospective twin and sibling study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 63(1), 99-108. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13465 [details]
- Nikolić, M., Zeegers, M., Colonnesi, C., Majdandžić, M., de Vente, W., & Bögels, S. M. (2022). Mothers’ and fathers’ mind-mindedness in infancy and toddlerhood predict their children’s self-regulation at preschool age. Developmental Psychology, 58(11), 2127–2139. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001428 [details]
- Riddell, C., Kret, M. E., Zijlstra, T., & Nikolic, M. (Accepted/In press). Fearful apes, happy apes - is fearfulness associated with uniquely human cooperation?: Commentary on Grossmann (2022). Behavioral and Brain Sciences.
2021
- Nikolić, M., & Roth, T. (2021). A comparative glance on self-conscious emotions: A commentary on Kret et al. (2020). Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 129, 154-156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.07.031 [details]
2020
- Colonnesi, C., Nikolić, M., & Bögels, S. M. (2020). Development and psychophysiological correlates of positive shyness from infancy to childhood. In L. A. Schmidt, & K. L. Poole (Eds.), Adaptive Shyness: Multiple Perspectives on Behavior and Development (pp. 41-61). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38877-5_3 [details]
- Drummond, P. D., Shapiro, G. B., Nikolić, M., & Bögels, S. M. (2020). Treatment Options for Fear of Blushing. Current psychiatry reports, 22(6), Article 28. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-020-01152-5 [details]
- Nikolić, M. (2020). Disturbed social information processing as a mechanism in the development of social anxiety disorder. Child Development Perspectives, 14(4), 258-264. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12390 [details]
- Nikolić, M. (2020). Social emotions and social cognition in the development of social anxiety disorder. The European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 17(5), 649–663. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405629.2020.1722633 [details]
- Nikolić, M., Majdandžić, M., Colonnesi, C., de Vente, W., Möller, E., & Bögels, S. (2020). The unique contribution of blushing to the development of social anxiety disorder symptoms: results from a longitudinal study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(12), 1339-1348. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13221 [details]
2019
- Nikolić, M., van der Storm, L., Colonnesi, C., Brummelman, E., Kan, K. J., & Bögels, S. (2019). Are Socially Anxious Children Poor or Advanced Mindreaders? Child Development, 90(4), 1424-1441. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13248 [details]
2018
- Brummelman, E., Nikolić, M., & Bögels, S. M. (2018). What's in a blush? Physiological blushing reveals narcissistic children's social-evaluative concerns. Psychophysiology, 55(10), Article e13201. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.13201 [details]
- Nikolic, M., Aktar, E., Bögels, S., Colonnesi, C., & de Vente, W. (2018). Bumping heart and sweaty palms: physiological hyperarousal as a risk factor for child social anxiety. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 59(2), 119-128. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12813 [details]
- Nikolić , M., Brummelman, E., Colonnesi, C., de Vente, W., & Bögels, S. M. (2018). When gushing leads to blushing: Inflated praise leads socially anxious children to blush. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 106, 1-7. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2018.04.003 [details]
- Zeegers, M. A. J., de Vente, W., Nikolić, M., Majdandžić, M., Bögels, S. M., & Colonnesi, C. (2018). Mothers’ and fathers’ mind‐mindedness influences physiological emotion regulation of infants across the first year of life. Developmental Science, 21(6), Article e12689. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12689 [details]
2017
- Aktar, E., Nikolic, M., & Bögels, S. M. (2017). Environmental transmission of generalized anxiety disorder from parents to children: Worries, experiential avoidance, and intolerance of uncertainty. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 19(2), 137-147. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5573558/ [details]
- Colonnesi, C., Nikolić, M., de Vente, W., & Bögels, S. M. (2017). Social anxiety symptoms in young children: Investigating the interplay of theory of mind and expressions of shyness. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 45(5), 997-1011. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-016-0206-0 [details]
2016
- Möller, E. L., Nikolić, M., Majdandžić, M., & Bögels, S. M. (2016). Associations between maternal and paternal parenting behaviors, anxiety and its precursors in early childhood: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 45, 17-33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2016.03.002 [details]
- Nikolić, M., Colonnesi, C., de Vente, W., & Bögels, S. M. (2016). Blushing in early childhood: Feeling coy or socially anxious? Emotion, 16(4), 475-487. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000131 [details]
- Nikolić, M., de Vente, W., Colonnesi, C., & Bögels, S. M. (2016). Autonomic arousal in children of parents with and without Social Anxiety Disorder: A high-risk study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 57(9), 1047-1055. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12563 [details]
2015
- Nikolić, M., Colonnesi, C., de Vente, W., Drummond, P., & Bögels, S. M. (2015). Blushing and social anxiety: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology : Science and Practice, 22(2), 177-193. https://doi.org/10.1111/cpsp.12102 [details]
2020
- Nikolić, M., & Brummelman, E. (2020). Zelfbewuste emoties in de kindertijd. Kind en Adolescent, 41(3), 330-336. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12453-020-00239-3 [details]
2023
- Nikolic, M. (2023). Parent mind-mindedness can boost children’s self-regulation. Child and Family Blog. https://childandfamilyblog.com/mind-mindedness-parenting/
- Stamkou, E., Brummelman, E., Dunham, R. L., & Nikolic, M. (2023). Small self, big heart. Character and Context. https://spsp.org/news/character-and-context-blog/stamkou-brummelman-dunham-nikolic-awe-children-generosity
2019
- Nikolic, M., Van der Storm, L., Colonnesi, C., Brummelman, E., Kan, K. J., & Bögels, S. M. (2019). Socio-cognitive Abilities, self-consciousness, and social anxiety: Developmental and psychobiological perspective. Paper presented at International Convention of Psychological Science (2019), Paris, France.
2017
- Zeegers, M. A. J., de Vente, W., Nikolic, M., Colonnesi, C., Majdandzic, M., & Bögels, S. M. (2017). The influence of parental Mind-Mindedness on infants’ heart rate variability from 4 to 12 months. Poster session presented at Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) 2017, Austin, Texas, United States.
2016
- Nikolic, M. (2016). Blushing: A physiological marker of the development of social anxiety disorder. Paper presented at 8th World Congress of Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies (WCBCT) 2016, Melbourne, Australia.
- Nikolic, M., Colonnesi, C., & Bögels, S. M. (2016). Shy but not inhibited? Physiological and behavioral reactions of positively shy, negatively shy, and non-shy infants. Paper presented at International Conference on Infant Studies (ICIS) 2016, New Orleans (LA), United States.
- Zeegers, M. A. J., de Vente, W., Nikolic, M., Majdandzic, M., Colonnesi, C., & Bögels, S. M. (2016). The influence of mothers and fathers' mind-mindedness on infants' physiological emotion regulation across the first year of life. Paper presented at VNOP-ISED-CAS Research Days 2016.
2015
- Möller, E. L., Nikolic, M., Majdandzic, M., de Vente, W., & Bögels, S. M. (2015). Associations between maternal and paternal parenting behavior and anxiety in early childhood: A meta-analysis. Poster session presented at Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research on Child Development (SRCD) 2015 , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
- Nikolic, M., Colonnesi, C., de Vente, W., & Bögels, S. M. (2015). Socio-cognitive, physiological, and behavioral aspects of childhood social anxiety. Poster session presented at Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research on Child Development (SRCD) 2015 , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
Prize / grant
- Nikolic, M. (2019). George Butterworth Young Scientist Award.
- Nikolic, M. (2016). Kind en Adolescent travel award.
Media appearance
- Nikolic, M. (24-04-2023). Parent mind-mindedness can boost children’s self-regulation [Web] Child and Family Blog. Parent mind-mindedness can boost children’s self-regulation. https://childandfamilyblog.com/mind-mindedness-parenting/
Talk / presentation
- Nikolic, M. (speaker), Colonnesi, C. (speaker) & Bögels, S. (speaker) (6-7-2020). Implicit self-awareness in infancy as a predictor of self-conscious emotions in childhood, The International Congres of Infant Studies.
- Nikolic, M. (speaker), Brummelman, E. (speaker), Kan, K. (speaker) & Colonnesi, C. (speaker) (19-11-2019). Parental mentalization and warmth as predictors of children’s self-conscious emotions and prosocial behaviours, VNOP – CAS Research Days 2019, Utrecht.
- Nikolic, M. (speaker) (8-2019). Social emotions and social cognition in the development of social anxiety disorder., 19th European Conference on Developmental Psychology, Athens.
- Nikolic, M. (speaker), de Vente, W. (speaker), Colonnesi, C. (speaker) & Bogels, S. M. (speaker) (12-11-2015). Autonomic arousal in children of parents with and without social anxiety disorder, Presentation at the Research Days VNOP-ISED-CAS, Leiden, Netherlands.
- Nikolic, M. (speaker), Colonnesi, C. (speaker), de Vente, W. (speaker) & Bögels, S. M. (speaker) (13-11-2014). Socio-cognitive, physiological, and behavioral aspects of childhood social anxiety, Presentation at the ISED Research Days, Amsterdam, NL.
- Colonnesi, C. (speaker) & Nikolic, M. (speaker) (4-10-2014). De expressie van verlegenheid bij baby’s en jonge kinderen, College voor breed publiek (LAB) in het Weekend van de Wetenschap, Amsterdam, NL.
- Nikolic, M. (speaker), Colonnesi, C. (speaker), de Vente, W. (speaker) & Bögels, S. M. (speaker) (10-9-2014). The relationship between theory of mind and childhood social anxiety, Presentation at the congress of the European Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Therapies (EABCT), The Hague, NL.
- Möller, E. L. (speaker), Nikolic, M. (speaker), Majdandžić, M. (speaker), de Vente, W. (speaker) & Bögels, S. M. (speaker) (9-9-2014). Associations between maternal and paternal parenting behavior and anxiety in early childhood: A meta-analysis, Paper presented at the Child Anxiety Theory and Treatment Seminars (CATTS), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Nikolic, M. (speaker), Colonnesi, C. (speaker), de Vente, W. (speaker) & Bögels, S. M. (speaker) (24-6-2014). Theory of mind and blushing predict Childhood Social Anxiety, Paper presented at the International Congress of Cognitive Psychotherapy, Hong Kong.
- Nikolic, M. (speaker), Colonnesi, C. (speaker), de Vente, W. (speaker), Drummond, P. (speaker) & Bogels, S. M. (speaker) (15-11-2013). The relationship between blushing and social anxiety: A meta-analytic review, Paper presented at the ISED research days 2013, Amsterdam (NL).
2023
- Folz, J., Roth, T. S., Nikolić, M. & Kret, M. E. (2023). Who Gets Caught by the Emotion? Attentional Biases toward Emotional Facial Expressions and Their Link to Social Anxiety and Autistic Traits. DataverseNL. https://doi.org/10.34894/uvqhhd
This list of publications is extracted from the UvA-Current Research Information System. Questions? Ask the library or the Pure staff of your faculty / institute. Log in to Pure to edit your publications. Log in to Personal Page Publication Selection tool to manage the visibility of your publications on this list. -
Ancillary activities
- No ancillary activities
Sun, R., Liu, Y., Vitale, V., Engels, T., Fadhlia, T. N., Sharaf, S., Pauw, L., Cong, Y.-Q., Nikolic, M., Israelashvili, J., Kamiloğlu, R. G., Manokara, K., Cáceres Quezada, E., Sauter, D., & Emotional experience and wellbeing during the COVID-19 Pandemic (Emotion) project (2024). Emotional Experiences and Psychological Well-Being in 51 Countries During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Emotion, 24(2), 397-411.