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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

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What age should my child be in order to participate?

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Frequently Asked .Questions

What age should my child be in order to participate?

-The age of the child depends on the current study. We invite you to submit information about your children so that we can enter your family into the Child Study Center database and contact you when your child is the right age for a study we are doing.

When do the studies occur?

-Studies are normally run Monday-Friday during the day. However, we are also typically available to schedule some Saturday appointments to accommodate busy working parents.

How long is a visit?

-A visit to the Language and Learning Lab usually lasts around 30-45 minutes, with the first 10-15 minutes spent making sure that your child feels comfortable with the lab environment and the lab staff.

Is there free parking?

-Yes, there is free parking available near the Child Study Center. For directions view the contacts page.

How many times will I bring my child in?

-The majority of our studies involve on a one-time visit.  However we will likely contact you multiple times regarding different studies if you are interested in participating in them.

Will I be with my child?

-Yes you may remain with your child the whole time, or many parents of older children prefer to  watch through an observation window instead.

Can I bring my other children?

-Yes, members of the lab staff will be available to babysit other children while you and your other child are participating. Just mention this when scheduling!

How will I learn the results of the study?

-The lab sends an annual newsletter with summaries of the studies conducted in the previous year. If you have participated, you will receive one either via email or regular mail. Previous newsletters can be viewed here  (link to newsletter and publication)

Do I receive an assessment of how my child is developing?

Parents are often interested in learning how their individual children perform, relative to other children. However, these are not intelligence tests, and we do not conduct individual assessments. We are interested in how children in general develop and learn. As a result, each child’s behaviors are only useful when pooled with other children of the same age so a general pattern of behavior can emerge. Keep in mind that children vary enormously at the ages we study, and that we want to be sure to get a fair and accurate picture of the whole range of learning abilities in order to draw general conclusions.