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We are always looking for parents who are interested in having their children participate in studies. Please have a look at our current studies to see if we are running a study that your child could participate in right away. As well, you could sign up your child on our future contact list so that we can give you a call when a study is being conducted that your child is the right age for. Please note that signing up for future contact does not mean that you are obliged to participate, it just means that a lab member will give you a call to ask if you are interested once your child turns a certain age.
Thank you for your consideration, this type of research would not be possible without the generous contribution of time and support of families in our local community.
- Our studies are non-evaluative and game-like so
that children have fun while they participate. Our studies typically involve
having your child interact individually with a research assistant (e.g., asking
her to retrieve toys from a display case, answering questions about a story
they have read, pointing to pictures that correspond with a word that is said).
You are able to view your child’s performance during the visit at all
times. All of our studies have been reviewed and have received ethical approval
from the University of Waterloo’s Research Ethics Board and you will be
informed on the specific procedures for the individual studies prior to
agreeing to participation.
- A general theme that runs through the various
research studies is an investigation of the way that young children learn to
interact successfully with other individuals. In particular, we are interested
in looking whether children are sensitive to social information and are able to
use this information in their communicative behaviour (e.g., interpreting
statements from others, avoiding ambiguous language, collaborating on a task,
etc.). In addition, we look at the role that language, theory of mind, and
cognitive abilities play in helping children to be socially competent.
- Our studies take between 20 and 45 minutes (depending
on the specific study). We typically book parents and children for an hour
session so that there is enough time to explain the study and make sure the
children are comfortable in the testing environment before beginning. Our
current studies all only require one visit to the lab.
- If you would like more information on our
studies, or would like to sign up your child to participate, please contact us
either by phone or email. We are flexible with the times that you are able to
bring your child in, and book sessions at the convenience of parents.
- After
you child participates in a study, he/she will receive a small toy as
appreciation for their time. Once all the data for the study your child
participated in has been collected, you will be sent a letter explaining the
results and implications of that particular study.
University of Waterloo
200 University Avenue West
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
519 888 4567
http://www.uwaterloo.ca
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