ABOUT OUR RESEARCH:

What is the purpose of this research?

The purpose of our research is to learn more about the development of young infants and their early knowledge about the world. We are interested to in how babies think and reason about their surrounding environment during their early months of life.

What is the research going to be used for?

Our studies will most likely be published in academic journals on child development. Since we’re interested in the development of children in general, we do not compare one child’s performance to another’s. We look for common, innate, or developmental patterns among a group of babies. No information about individual babies is released. All the data we collect in the center is confidential, and only group results are published.

What does it mean if my baby doesn’t do what you’re expecting?

Not all babies perform in the same way — there are a lot of individual differences among babies and it’s only when we study large groups of babies that we start seeing patterns emerging. We cannot draw meaningful conclusions by simply looking at the performance of one baby, as anything might cause a child to behave in a particular way on a particular day.

Will my child be videotaped?

In most cases, yes we would like to video tape your child during our studies. This is so we can look back at the tapes to make sure your child’s answers were documented correctly by the researcher. If you do not want your child video taped, please let us know.

Who will see the video?

All tapes are confidential, and will only be seen by members of our research team. On our permission form, there is an optional box allowing for the videos to be used in research conferences and/or psychology classes. All videos of children will not include their names.

Can I get my baby’s results?

Actually, we do not give out results for individual babies, because as expressed above, findings are only meaningful at the group level. However, we send out a newsletter a few times a year that gives updates for all the studies we’ve been running.

ABOUT THE VISIT

Can I stay with my baby during the course of the study?

Yes! Your child will be on your lap or right next to you for the entire visit.

Can I bring other children with me?

Yes! We have a play room and will arrange to have a research assistant here as a babysitter. In fact, we may have activities for your other children as well! Please let us know if you will be bringing siblings, so we can be sure to have someone on hand.

How long will each visit be?

Each study takes about 15 minutes. However, in order to explain the study and get your child comfortable in the environment, a visit to the center usually takes about 30-45 minutes.

What are your hours?

We are open Monday-Friday, 9AM-6PM and Saturday 9AM to 2PM, all year round (excluding Holidays). Additional evening and weekend appointments are available for working parents. Just ask us!

What if my baby gets fussy?

If your baby gets fussy during the experiment, we will stop and take a short break and then resume when your baby is more comfortable. Or, we can stop altogether at any time you like. Our intention is for babies to have as much fun as possible!

Do I have to come back for a follow-up visit?

We would love to have you come back! However, there is no obligation to come back for another study visit. Each study involves a specific age group and is a one-time visit. However, if you are interested in returning more than once, we can keep your name in our database and call you when your child is old enough for the next study.

Is everything really free?

Yes! We need a lot of children to participate in our activities so we make it as easy and accessible as possible for families. All the activities are free, parking is free, and our prizes are free!

Will we be paid for our participation?

If you are a first time family with a child under the age of 24 months, you will receive a $15 Amazon gift card. Please note that this is a special promotion and may end without notice at any time.

For older kids and returning families, your child will receive a special certificate and a fun prize at the end of each visit.

Are you sure there will be parking available?

To access the parking lot, you need a special key code to get in. We will email you this key code before your visit. This is to prevent others from accessing the space. There are designated signs for the psychology research labs. Additionally, sometimes an appointment before you might be running a bit late, although we do everything we can to ensure this doesn’t happen. The best course of action is to call the lab if you encounter any parking issues. Our phone number is: 203-436-1415.

English is not my first language, is a translator available?

Currently, we have staff who can speak fluent Spanish & French.

Depending on our current research staff, we may have someone on hand who can translate for you. We also have permission forms, driving instructions, and email notifications available in Spanish.

What should I do if I need to cancel?

If you need to cancel, please contact us over email or call the center at 203-436-1415.

My child is older than 4 years old, but I still want to participate in studies. Where should I go?

We actually have five developmental groups at Yale, all located in our building! They test kids ages 4- 14 years old. Older sibling are encouraged to participate as well! Similar to our lab, every child always gets a prize at the end of their visit. Feel free to check out the group website or email: infantandchild@yale.edu