OUR BABY STUDIES

1) The 10-month-old baby study: In a baby's mind, are cartoon images equivalent to their real-life counterparts?

What?: This study explores what infants understand about computer generated (i.e., cartoon) images. We know that infants can form object categories based on the form and function of an object. For example, infants will group together objects that look or function alike. I want to know if infants form the same categories from computer generated “cartoon” images.

How?: In this study, infants will watch either a set of videotaped “real” objects or computer generated “cartoon” objects. I will then try to determine if infants use the same information from both types of displays.

Procedure?: Infants are seated on your lap facing a television monitor where simple objects or cartoon objects are shown. An experimenter watches your infant from behind the television and records the amount of time your infant spends looking at each object. A video camera will also record how long your infant looks at each object. Before this procedure, you will be asked to complete some brief questionnaires.

How much time?: The entire visit should take less than 30 minutes and you will be with your infant at all times.

What do you get?: You will receive $25.00 and your baby will receive a unique lab t-shirt for participating.

2) The 12-month-old baby study: Can babies imagine an upright object turned upside down?

What?: This study explores whether or not infants can mentally rotate objects. In other words, can infants take an image they see (e.g., of a cup) and mentally picture it turned around in their mind. We know that adults and young children are able to mentally rotate objects but few have investigated this ability in infants.

How?: In this study, infants will view a set of photographs of young women’s faces. I will then use the amount of time infants look at the different faces to determine if infants are mentally rotating the faces.

Procedure?:  Currently, I need 12-month-old infants for my study. The procedure is simple. Infants are seated on your lap in a chair facing a television monitor on which the photographs are shown. An experimenter watches your infant from behind the television and records the amount of time your infant spends looking at each photograph. A video camera will also record how long your infant looks at each object. Before or after this procedure, you will be asked to complete some brief questionnaires. 

How much time?: The entire visit should take less than 30 minutes and you will be with your infant at all times.

What do you get?: You will receive $25.00 and your baby will receive a unique lab t-shirt for participating.