Participate in our research!
Participate in our research!
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Research at the Learning and Development Lab is made possible by students and families in the Georgetown and greater DC Metro areas who volunteer to participate in our studies, as well as families around the country to who participate in our online studies. Don't hesitate to get in touch with us!
Child Studies
We are looking for typically developing children between the ages of 3 and 9.
Adult Studies
We are looking for healthy adults age 18 or older.
If you or your child would like to participate in one of our studies, please fill out this form.
One of our researchers will follow up with more information about our current studies and how to schedule a session!
About Our Studies
We study how adults and children learn languages and other types of patterns. We want to understand why children are so good at learning languages, and how they are the same as or different from adult language learners.
For many of our studies, we create miniature languages that are either like natural human languages or unlike natural human languages in certain ways. We study how children and adults learn these miniature languages, either in our lab or over Zoom. Our experiments are set up like games so that they are fun for participants of all ages.
In this game, participants help an alien named Zilly learn a new alien language!
Take a look at some of our previous studies!
Most of these studies are done in our lab on a computer or online via Zoom, but some studies are run in an MRI scanner to observe brain activity as people learn. MRI is safe and non-invasive, and we work with research participants to make sure they feel comfortable and prepared before they go in the MRI scanner.
Check out this kid-friendly video about MRI scanning!
Parents FAQs about Online Studies
What does my child get out of participating?
By participating, your child is contributing not just to science, but also potentially to society. They will help us understand why children are so good at learning languages— and how we might identify and support children who have language delays and disorders. A greater understanding of how children learn could also help inform educational policy in the future.
Will my child have fun doing the experiment?
Most children love playing the games that are part of our studies! In fact, kids often ask at the end if they will be able to play again in the future. However, there are sometimes kids who just don’t want to play for whatever reason, and that’s okay. We will never force your child to complete the study.
How will my family be compensated?
Participants are paid using a secure ePayments platform approved by Georgetown University and run through our banking partner, PNC. We will set up an account for you and deposit funds. You will then receive an email with instructions for receiving your payment via PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, or direct deposit. There is no fee for you.
Do I need to print and sign the consent form?
Nope! There is no need to print the consent form and sign it. Once you schedule a time for your child to participate, we will send you an electronic version. We send the consent form ahead of time just so that you can see it before you decide to sign up for the study.
Do I get to view my child's results from the study?
We are studying general trends across children, so we don’t analyze results for individual children. When we publish results for the full group of children, we will add the publication to our website: https://cbpr.georgetown.edu/publications/
Do I need to be present during the study?
After we set up the study, parents are welcome to hang out nearby or leave the room— whatever you prefer. We just ask that the child completes the study on their own. Our researcher will stay on Zoom the entire time to help your child do the study.
Will my child be recorded?
At the beginning of the study, the researcher will ask you (the parent) for permission to record the Zoom call. We use the recording to double check that the study procedures were followed correctly and to train new researchers. The recording will only be seen by researchers in the lab. If you are not comfortable with recording, that is completely okay! Your child will still be able to participate in the study.
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