Frequently Asked Questions
How can I sign up to participate?
You can email us at [email protected], you can call us at 609-771-2046, or you can fill out our secure webform.
How can I spread the word about your lab with other parents?
We are always looking for new parents and children to participate in our research, and word-of-mouth is incredibly helpful to us! If you enjoyed your experience visiting our lab, please feel free to share our website or contact information with other parents. If you'd like to post about our lab on social media or spread the word to friends in your area, you can visit us on Facebook or download our flyer here! We are so grateful for your support.
What do studies involve?
If your child is an infant, studies typically involve them sitting in your lap or in a high chair and watching displays. We'll measure how long your baby looks at the displays, and/or how much they explore the objects. In other studies, infants will play fun hide-and-seek games where we hide toys in a box and see if they remember what was inside. If your child is older, studies take the form of fun and interactive games where we show your child events and ask them questions about what they expect or what they remember.
How does this tell you about what my baby knows?
Because infants can't tell us what they are thinking, we use what they look at and for how long to tell us about what they perceive and know about the world. For example, babies like to look longer at things that are new and/or surprising than at things that are old and/or unsurprising. This can tell us whether they have expectations about events like adults do.
Can you tell me how my child did?
Our studies are designed to look at overall performance of a large group of infants or children, and are not designed to assess a single child's abilities. We are grateful to have any child participate, and we are of course happy to answer any of your questions during your visit.
Can I stay with my child the whole time?
Of course! You can be with your child during the whole visit.
When can I schedule an appointment?
We are open Monday through Friday between 9am and 5pm, and we do our best to accommodate your schedule. We occasionally schedule evening and weekend appointments for parents who would like to participate but cannot come during the normal workday. Just give us a call, send us an email, or fill out our secure webform to see what times we have available that work with your schedule!
How long is a visit to the lab?
Most studies are between 5 and 15 minutes long, but we recommend planning on a 45-minute visit so that your child can spend some time getting comfortable in our playroom, and so that we can fully explain the study to you and answer all of your questions.
Can I bring my other children even if they are not participating?
Absolutely! We have wonderful undergraduate research assistants who will play with your other child(ren) in our fun playroom!
How many times do we need to participate?
Participation only requires a single visit. However, we have studies for all different age groups, and if you are interested in participating again we would love to have you! Many families enjoy returning to the lab as their children get older and become eligible for new studies.
I really want to have my children participate, but I am not able to bring them to your lab. Can I send them with a grandparent or babysitter?
We need the written approval of a legal guardian for your child to participate in our studies. If you would like to send your child with another caretaker, we can arrange to email you the paperwork ahead of time, and you can either email it back to us, or fill it out and send it along with them for the appointment.
Will my child's name or other information be shared in any way?
No. All information you provide to us will be kept confidential and only seen by trained, approved researchers in the lab. All of this confidential information is stored in our locked laboratory and on password-protected computers. You can have your information removed from our records at any time.
How do I get to the lab? Do you provide parking?
You can view directions to the lab here. We have reserved parking spaces for parents who visit the lab, and one of our researchers will meet you in the parking lot to give you a temporary parking pass and escort you to the lab. We are located in Room 142 of the Social Sciences Building.
Am I compensated for my visit?
While we cannot offer financial compensation for your participation, we do offer your child a small gift (a t-shirt or a book) and a diploma that they completed the research study.
Who can I contact with questions?
Please feel free to email us at [email protected], call us at 609-771-2046, or fill out our secure webform and we would be happy to answer any questions!
You can email us at [email protected], you can call us at 609-771-2046, or you can fill out our secure webform.
How can I spread the word about your lab with other parents?
We are always looking for new parents and children to participate in our research, and word-of-mouth is incredibly helpful to us! If you enjoyed your experience visiting our lab, please feel free to share our website or contact information with other parents. If you'd like to post about our lab on social media or spread the word to friends in your area, you can visit us on Facebook or download our flyer here! We are so grateful for your support.
What do studies involve?
If your child is an infant, studies typically involve them sitting in your lap or in a high chair and watching displays. We'll measure how long your baby looks at the displays, and/or how much they explore the objects. In other studies, infants will play fun hide-and-seek games where we hide toys in a box and see if they remember what was inside. If your child is older, studies take the form of fun and interactive games where we show your child events and ask them questions about what they expect or what they remember.
How does this tell you about what my baby knows?
Because infants can't tell us what they are thinking, we use what they look at and for how long to tell us about what they perceive and know about the world. For example, babies like to look longer at things that are new and/or surprising than at things that are old and/or unsurprising. This can tell us whether they have expectations about events like adults do.
Can you tell me how my child did?
Our studies are designed to look at overall performance of a large group of infants or children, and are not designed to assess a single child's abilities. We are grateful to have any child participate, and we are of course happy to answer any of your questions during your visit.
Can I stay with my child the whole time?
Of course! You can be with your child during the whole visit.
When can I schedule an appointment?
We are open Monday through Friday between 9am and 5pm, and we do our best to accommodate your schedule. We occasionally schedule evening and weekend appointments for parents who would like to participate but cannot come during the normal workday. Just give us a call, send us an email, or fill out our secure webform to see what times we have available that work with your schedule!
How long is a visit to the lab?
Most studies are between 5 and 15 minutes long, but we recommend planning on a 45-minute visit so that your child can spend some time getting comfortable in our playroom, and so that we can fully explain the study to you and answer all of your questions.
Can I bring my other children even if they are not participating?
Absolutely! We have wonderful undergraduate research assistants who will play with your other child(ren) in our fun playroom!
How many times do we need to participate?
Participation only requires a single visit. However, we have studies for all different age groups, and if you are interested in participating again we would love to have you! Many families enjoy returning to the lab as their children get older and become eligible for new studies.
I really want to have my children participate, but I am not able to bring them to your lab. Can I send them with a grandparent or babysitter?
We need the written approval of a legal guardian for your child to participate in our studies. If you would like to send your child with another caretaker, we can arrange to email you the paperwork ahead of time, and you can either email it back to us, or fill it out and send it along with them for the appointment.
Will my child's name or other information be shared in any way?
No. All information you provide to us will be kept confidential and only seen by trained, approved researchers in the lab. All of this confidential information is stored in our locked laboratory and on password-protected computers. You can have your information removed from our records at any time.
How do I get to the lab? Do you provide parking?
You can view directions to the lab here. We have reserved parking spaces for parents who visit the lab, and one of our researchers will meet you in the parking lot to give you a temporary parking pass and escort you to the lab. We are located in Room 142 of the Social Sciences Building.
Am I compensated for my visit?
While we cannot offer financial compensation for your participation, we do offer your child a small gift (a t-shirt or a book) and a diploma that they completed the research study.
Who can I contact with questions?
Please feel free to email us at [email protected], call us at 609-771-2046, or fill out our secure webform and we would be happy to answer any questions!