Research
Research that centers children
The Child Development Lab (CDL) is a living laboratory embedded within the School of Human Ecology. Researchers across disciplines study how children from 6 weeks to 5 years grow, learn, and thrive, in a setting that is both academic and child-centered.
Current research
All research is carefully vetted, with reviewers considering how the research will impact children’s routines and experience at the CDL. It is always optional. The CDL recruits families by hanging an informational packet and consent form on cubbies of children who are eligible to participate.
Learning Cognition & Development Lab
Dr. Haley Vlach is a Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology and the Primary Investigator of the Learning, Cognition, and Development (LCD) Lab.
The LCD Lab studies how children remember, learn new words and concepts, and organize the world into categories. We are currently seeking interested and dedicated families from the CDL community with children 4 years or older (older than 48 months) to participate in an exciting new study. Future studies from the LCD Lab may also recruit children between the ages of 2 and 9 years.
The findings from LCD Lab studies aim to bridge traditional laboratory research on cognitive development with more applied settings, such as interventions and educational curriculum development. In these ongoing studies, children will learn novel categories and learn about simple science concepts, and their memory and learning will be tested. The session will not be recorded and will last approximately 25 to 30 minutes. As a thank-you gift, children will receive a storybook. Parents will also have the opportunity to complete a survey about your child, which includes basic demographic questions.
All CDL parents who wish to participate will need to complete a consent form opting into the LCD studies.
For more information about our research, please visit our lab website or email us at uwmadison.lcd.lab@gmail.com.
Development of Intergroup Social Cognition Lab
The DISC lab aims to understand how children think about different social groups. We would love to collaborate with schools, community centers, and daycares to gather a diverse population of kids to inform our work! We specifically want to work with kids between the ages of 4 through 6.
We would greatly appreciate your help in spreading the word regarding our study. If you or someone you know would be interested in participating, please send an email to DISClab@psych.wisc.edu or call us at +1- 608-265-2246, where a research assistant from our lab will get back to you at your earliest convenience. Additionally, if you would like to speak with a staff member in person, our offices are located in the Brogden Psychology Building at 1202 W Johnson St in Madison, WI.
UW–Madison research opportunities
Researchers across campus are looking for families to participate in studies on language, behavior, learning, and development. Every study is designed to fit your family’s time and comfort level.
Past research
The effects of background television on the quantity and quality of child-directed speech by parents
Featured Researcher: Heather Kirkorian
About the research
Prior research has shown negative effects of background TV exposure on toddler toy play and parent-child interactions, along with a negative association between early TV exposure and language development. Researchers hypothesized that background, adult-directed TV reduces the quantity and quality of parent language addressed to their young children. To test this hypothesis, this study compared parent language directed at 12-, 24-, and 36-month-old toddlers in the presence and absence of background TV.
Outcome
In the presence of background TV, the number of words and utterances spoken per minute by the parent decreased as did the number of new words per minute. However, the mean length of utterances did not differ.
Potential impact
Because parent input is an important factor for language acquisition, development may be negatively affected by background TV exposure.
The effects of classroom lighting & noise on the heart rates of neurotypical and neurodiverse students
Featured Researcher: Rudy Dieudonne
About the research
Since the late 19th century, the design and construction of American public schools and classrooms have been informed by established design standards and have been periodically revised. However, the current design standards for classroom lighting and noise may be impeding the educational opportunities of neurodiverse students. Two studies were conducted to inform possible changes to current classroom design standards for lighting and noise. Study 1 explored the effects of standard classroom lighting on the heart rates of neurotypical and neurodiverse students, and Study 2 explored the effects of standard classroom background noise on the heart rates of neurotypical and neurodiverse students. The main goal of these studies was to find out if classroom lighting levels and background noise levels affected the heart rates of neurodiverse students more than neurotypical students.
Outcome
Study 1: The heart rates of both groups were significantly affected by lighting levels, but the heart rates of neurodiverse students were significantly affected more than the heart rates of neurotypical students.
Study 2: The heart rates of both groups were significantly affected by background noise levels. However, the data did not provide enough evidence to support the conclusion that neurodiverse students were affected more than the neurotypical students.
Potential impact
Future studies should reexamine these relationships with a larger sample of the neurodiverse population, and it should control for the Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) of classroom lighting and the frequency range of classroom noise. Future studies should also investigate the impact of an elevated heart rate on a student’s ability to learn. This body of research will ultimately guide designers towards creating public classroom spaces that ensure the highest educational opportunities for all American students.
Share a research opportunity
Have a study, survey, or opportunity you’d like our families to see? We can help share IRB-approved research opportunities with our community.
Conduct research at the CDL
Interested in partnering with the Child Development Lab for a research study? Learn about requirements and how to submit a proposal.
Ready to partner with the CDL?
The Child Development Lab welcomes collaboration with researchers interested in advancing knowledge about children, families, and early learning.
Whether you are developing a new idea or preparing to launch a study, we invite you to start the conversation.