Our in-person studies are simple, safe, and most importantly, fun! They typically involve one visit to our lab in the Psychology Building, and take 30-60 minutes. Upon completion, every child who participates can choose a book to take home.
In most cases, your child will sit on your lap or be close to you throughout the study. We provide parking, toys, and babysitting for siblings, so you can relax and enjoy the experience with your child.
We conduct two main kinds of studies, looking-time studies and eye-tracking studies:
- In looking-time studies, we videotape children while they watch a series of events on a TV display accompanied by sentences. Later, we analyze their looking patterns during key periods in the video to study how they understood each sentence.
- In eye-tracking studies, your child will watch short video clips or listen to stories while viewing pictures of the story characters. During key periods in the task, we use our automatic eye-tracker to measure where children are looking on the computer screen. This technology is completely safe and just involves asking your child to wear a small sticker on their forehead as they watch the video.
Schedule an appointment with us!
Our lab is usually open from mid-January to early May, then again from June to July, and finally from September to early December. Please note that we are closed during university breaks and holidays.
Check out our list of current in-person studies below. To book an appointment, just click the green button to use our online scheduling software. You can pick a date and time that works best for you and your family, and answer a few questions to get started.
Click here to see how to get to our lab and find our reserved parking spot.
How do children make predictions about language?
4- and 5-year-olds
- 60-minute appointment
- Your child will listen to stories while looking at pictures for 20 minutes
- We will record looking times using an automatic eye-tracker
Don’t see a study for your child?
In case you don’t see any current studies that fit your schedule or your child’s age group, don’t worry!
Simply fill out our sign-up form to give us more information about you and your child. We’re preparing for a number of exciting studies, and we’d love to keep you in the loop for future opportunities.
If you prefer to speak to someone, you can also contact us at (217) 244-6098 or by email at lalab@illinois.edu. We’re always happy to hear from you and answer any questions you may have.
How to get to our lab:
Our lab is located in:
Room 83, Psychology Building
603 E. Daniel Street
Champaign, IL 61820
Take a look at the map below to find our reserved parking space, spot 22 in Lot C5. If you need any help, give us a call at (217) 244-6098 or email us at lalab@illinois.edu
