What will my child do during a study session?
In most studies, your child will play a research game with one of our researchers, or answer some questions. But some studies also include caregivers! Children and their caregivers might read books, watch videos, or talk with each other about different topics. All of our studies use noninvasive, behavioral measures. Many children have fun completing the studies!
How long do the studies last?
Our studies generally have one or two sessions, that each lasts about 15-40 minutes. We normally schedule appointments for 30 minutes to 1 hour. The extra time is for the child to feel comfortable in the lab before the study, not having the child be forced to answer under pressure, answering any questions after the study is complete, resolving any technical issues (for online Zoom studies) and parking (for in person studies).
What if my child doesn’t like the study?
While we design our studies in a way that most children enjoy participating, your child is free to skip any particular question or to stop the session for any reason at any time.
Can I be with my child the entire time?
Yes! Parents are welcome to stay with their child during the study. However, we ask you to let your child respond to the questions on their own, without your help. We’re happy to answer any questions you have at the end of the session.
Can my other children be present for the study?
For our in-lab studies, our research staff are happy to play with your other children in our playroom while your child completes the study in an adjoining study room!
For online studies, other children can definitely observe if they want! However, we would appreciate your help in making sure that they don’t interfere or bias the participating child in any way! If your other children are also participating in the same study, then if possible, we ask that you keep them out of earshot because we’re interested in what each child thinks separately.
Will we receive compensation for participating?
All of our studies involve some compensation, ranging from cards ranging from $5 to $20 for each session. Depending on the study, this might be cash or gift card.