You might be wondering...

What would my child be asked to do in a study?

Studies in our labs vary depending on the child's age and the topic of the research. We always provide parents with a specific study description before scheduling an appointment. In a typical infant study, we might show babies people and objects presented on a video screen. In a typical study of children's cognitive development, we might hide objects in a room and ask children to help us find them. In a typical study of children's social development, we might show pictures of different people and ask children whom they'd like to play with. All of our studies for children are presented as games, and most children enjoy participating.

Where do I go when my child is participating?

You are always welcome to accompany with your child while s/he participates. If you prefer, you may stay in our reception area during the study.

How do I cancel or reschedule an appointment?

Email us at socialspacelabs@gmail.com, or give us a call at 608-263-5853 or 608-890-2670.

Will I receive information about my child's development?

Our studies are designed to answer questions about children's development as a group, rather than focusing on any individual child's development. In general, there are no "right" or "wrong" ways to respond in our studies. We are simply interested in how children think and act at different points in development. We periodically send out a newsletter to parents whose children have participated in our research. Additionally, you may email us or call us at any time to receive information about any of our research findings.

How will the findings from this research be used?

The results from our studies are typically published in academic journals where they are read by other researchers and educators who are interested in children's cognitive and social development. Additionally, research findings from developmental psychology labs like ours are sometimes used to inform policy decisions concerning children's education, health, and care. We never release or publish information about specific children; instead, we describe responses of children as a group. Your child's participation and responses are completely confidential.

What's the purpose of this research?

The goal of our research is to shed light on key questions concerning children's early cognitive and social development. Through our research, we intend to paint a clearer picture of development for parents, scientists, educators, and policy-makers. Though many of our studies focus on typically developing children, we believe our research has important implications for understanding and promoting the learning and development of all children.

FAQs

answers

608-263-5853 or 608-890-2670

socialspacelabs@waisman.wisc.edu