Longitudinal Study

We are currently conducting a 4 year, National Institutes of Health funded longitudinal study about categorization, which is how we take new information that we have learned and put it into categories. Our goal is to not only look at categorization, but to also assess other cognitive processes such as attention and memory, and how these processes change and develop over time. For this study, three hundred 4-year-old junior scientists will participate in our study over the course of the next 4 years. During a visit to the lab, our junior scientists play three games with a research assistant using various technologies such as eye tracking, touch screens, and iPads. Our junior scientists receive an official Cognitive Development Lab award, a bunch of stickers, free parking right outside the Psychology Building during the visit, and monetary compensation for participating. Understanding how children learn best and memorize new information is really important for how we teach children in schools and at home. This research will hopefully inform our education system about teaching practices and guide parents in understanding how to best support their children’s learning as they grow.