At the Cognitive Development Lab, we study the way young children learn about language, numbers, objects, space, time, and people. To find out what very young children know, of course, you can’t just ask them. Instead, we play simple games with them. Sometimes these games are on a computer, and sometimes they use toys and other objects. Please click here to read our latest newsletter and find out more about our recent studies!
We are located on the campus of Wesleyan University in Middletown. If you’d like to participate in one of our studies, we will work with you to schedule an appointment. When you come to our facility, your child will spend a few minutes getting settled, playing with toys in our playroom, and meeting the lab member who will run the study. We’ll tell you a little bit about the study, and then we’ll get started. In some studies, your child will answer simple questions about objects we show to him or her. In other studies, your child will play a quick game on the computer.
You may observe your child at all times. If you will be bringing your other children along, please let us know and we will provide a babysitter to watch them during the study. Studies usually take 30 minutes or less, but please plan for a 45-minute visit so that we have time to get your child settled comfortably and to tell you about the study. Children enjoy our studies, and they get a small thank-you prize at the end! Parents also receive a small compensation for travel expenses (free parking is available).
We work with children between the ages of 1 and 9. But even if your children are younger, we would love to hear from you! We’ll contact you when your child is the right age for one of our studies.