Past STEPs

2025 STEP

May 26-31, 2025

1. A short overview and introduction to statistics and R, Dalia Cristerna-Román and Vera Xia, University of Alberta

2. Introduction to Mixed-Effects Modelling with LME4, Hannah Lam and Veranika Puhacheuskaya, University of Alberta

3. Embrace the complexities of bilingual development: statistical methods beyond linear regression, Youran Lin, University of Alberta

4. The fundamentals of data visualization in R, Guilherme D. Garcia, Université Laval

5. Generalized additive modeling for Linguistics, Martijn Wieling, University of Groningen

6. Understanding Surprisal in (Large) Language Models and Its Applications in Psycholinguistics, Carrie Demmans Epp and Jai Riley, University of Alberta and Gaisha Oralova, University of Pittsburgh

2023 STEP

June 12-17, 2023

A short overview and introduction to statistics and R, Kasandra Calkins and Stephanie Hammond-Thrasher, University of Alberta

Corpus-linguistic text processing with R, Stefan Th. Gries, UC Santa Barbara & JLU Giessen *Enrolment capped at 25*

Introduction to Bayesian modelling, Scott James Perry, University of Alberta

Introduction to mixed-effect modelling with lme4, Adriana Soto-Corominas & Scott James Perry, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya and University of Alberta

Methodological approaches to language and aging, Victor Kuperman, McMaster University

Taking psycholinguistic methods to the field, Carolyn O’Meara, UNAM

Hybrid:

Discriminative learning and the lexicon: NDL and LDL, Harald Baayen, Yu-Ying Chuang, and Maria Heitmeier, University of Tuebingen

PsychoPy 101: A crash course on building customized experiments, Veranika Puhacheuskaya, University of Alberta

2022 BabySTEP

Introduction to WebGazer

As a continuation of our 2021 babySTEP tutorials, we are pleased to offer an Introduction to WebGazer with Dr. Ian Krajbich and Xiaozhi Yang (Ohio State). Their recent article “Webcam-based online eye-tracking for behavioral research” outlines a case for using web-based eyetracking in behavioral research. This tutorial will go into detail on how exactly to incorporate webcam-based eye tracking into JavaScript experiments.

Experiments are increasingly moving online. This poses a major challenge for researchers who rely on in-lab techniques such as eye-tracking. Researchers in computer science have developed web-based eye-tracking applications (WebGazer; Papoutsaki et al., 2016) but they have yet to see use in behavioral research. This is likely due to the extensive calibration and validation procedure, inconsistent temporal resolution (Semmelmann & Weigelt, 2018), and the challenge of integrating it into experimental software. Here, we incorporate WebGazer into a widely used JavaScript library among behavioral researchers (jsPsych) and adjust the procedure and code to reduce calibration/validation and improve the temporal resolution (from 100-1000 ms to 20-30 ms). We test this procedure with a decision-making study on Amazon MTurk, replicating previous in-lab findings on the relationship between gaze and choice, with little degradation in spatial or temporal resolution. This provides evidence that online web-based eye-tracking is feasible in behavioral research.

2021 STEP

Corpus-linguistic text processing with R – Stefan Th. Gries (UC Santa Barbara & JLU Giessen) **Note that this course begins on April 20th**

An introduction to data analysis with the generalized additive model – R. Harald Baayen, Yu-Ying Chuang, and Peter Hendrix (Tuebingen/Tilberg)

An introduction to vector space morphology and morphological processing using linear discriminative learning (LDL) – R. Harald Baayen, Yu-Ying Chuang, Xuefeng Luo, Maria Heitmeier, and Elnaz Shafael-Bajestan (Tuebingen)

Psycholinguistic applications of NLP method for analyzing free-form texts – Aki-Juhani Kyröläinen (McMaster) – max. 25 seats

Communication: An in-the-body experience – Jennifer Hinnell (UBC) and Elena Nicoladis (Alberta)

Talks and Info Sessions

Natural Language Processing to manage harmful content online – Maite Taboada (Simon Fraser)

How can EEG/ERPs be helpful in psycholinguistic research? – Sid Segalowitz (Brock)

Cognitively constrained models of pronoun processing – Margreet Vogelzang (Cambridge)

Written language production as a window to the mind – Gary Libben (Brock)

If you missed the talks and are interested in seeing a recording, you can request access here:

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2020 STEP

Cancelled due to COVID-19

Yu-Ying Chuang & Harald Baayen (Eberhard Karls University Tübingen) – Modeling lexical processing with Linear Discriminative Learning – An introduction to the discriminative lexicon with the WpmWithL dl package for R

Stefan Th. Gries (UC Santa Barbara & Justus Liebig University Gießen) – Corpus-linguistic text processing with R

Aki-Juhani Kyröläinen & Vincent Porretta (McMaster University) – Generalized Additive Modeling – Advanced statistical methods for psycholinguistics

Elena Nicoladis (University of Alberta) – Nonverbal communication – Gestures and speech

Annika Nijveld & Benjamin V. Tucker (University of Alberta) – Speech in psycholinguistics

Certificate Courses

Liam Blything (University of Alberta) – Creating a visual world paradigm step-by-step using Experiment Builder

Isabell Hubert Lyall (University of Alberta) – Introduction to R for experimental data processing

Aki-Juhani Kyröläinen & Vincent Porretta (McMaster University) – Introduction to linear mixed-effects regression using R

2019 STEP

May 13-18, 2019

Petra Hendriks (University of Groningen) – Investigating Individual Variation in Reference Production and Comprehension

Sidney Segalowitz (Brock University) – An Introduction to Cognitive Electrophysiology EEG/ERP Methods: Past, Present and Future

Jacolien van Rij (University of Groningen) – Advanced Statistical Methods for Psycholinguistics: Analyzing Time Course Data

Certificate Courses:

Liam Blything (University of Alberta) – Creating a Visual World Paradigm Step-by-Step Using Experiment Builder

Vincent Porretta (University of Windsor) & Aki-Juhani Kyröläinen (McMaster University) – Introduction to R for Experimental Data Processing

Aki-Juhani Kyröläinen (McMaster University) & Vincent Porretta (University of Windsor) – Introduction to Linear Mixed-Effects Regression Using R

2018 STEP

May 14-19, 2018

Harald Baayen (University of Tübingen) – Computational Modeling of Lexical Processing with Naive Discriminative Learning

Emmanuel Keuleers (Tilburg University) – Crowds, Words, and Networks: A Transaction-Based View on Studying Language Processing

Aki-Juhani Kyröläinen (McMaster University) & Vincent Porretta (University of Windsor) – Introduction to Linear Mixed-Effects Modeling in R

Gary Libben (Brock University) – Building and Combining Your own Behavioural Psycholinguistic Techniques for Pure and Applied Research

Vincent Porretta (University of Windsor) – Introduction to R

Debra Titone (McGill University) & Jason Gullifer (McGill University) – Capitalizing on our Communicative & Neurocognitive Diversity: A Selective Overview of Why and How We Study Individual Differences in Language Processing

Benjamin V. Tucker (University of Alberta) – Using Speech in Psycholinguistics: From Speech Synthesis to Spoken Word Recognition

Jacolien Van Rij (University of Groningen) & Juhani Järvikivi (University of Alberta) – The Visual World Paradigm Step-by-Step Eye-tracking for Spoken Language Research

2017 STEP

May 15-20, 2017

Shanley Allen (University of Kaiserslautern) – Scientific Writing in Psycholinguistics

Harald Baayen (University of Tübingen) – Implicit Grammar: A Discriminative Perspective on Language and Language Processing

Juhani Järvikivi & Vincent Porretta (University of Alberta) – Exploring Visual World Eye-Tracking and Pupillometry

Vincent Porretta (University of Alberta) – Introduction to R

Vincent Porretta (University of Alberta) & Aki-Juhani Kyröläinen (University of Turku) – Advanced Statistical Workshop: Generalized Additive Mixed Models

Vincent Porretta (University of Alberta) & Aki-Juhani Kyröläinen (University of Turku) – Linear Mixed Effects Modeling and Data Visualization

Debra Titone (McGill University) – Eye Movement Methods to Investigate Bilingual Reading

Benjamin V. Tucker (University of Alberta) – Using Speech in Psycholinguistics: From Speech Synthesis to Spoken Word Recognition

2016 STEP

May 16-21, 2016

Harald Baayen (University of Tübingen) – Implicit Grammar

Gary Libben (Brock University) – Simple Approaches to Building and Combining New Behavioral Psycholinguistic Techniques

Johanne Paradis (University of Alberta) – Conducting Research with Bilingual Children: Topics and Methods

Vincent Porretta (University of Alberta) – An Introduction to R and Psycholinguistic Data Analysis

Anne-Michelle Tessier & Kayla Day (University of Alberta) – Methods in Phonological Acquisition Analysis

Benjamin V. Tucker & Daniel Brenner (University of Alberta) – Using Speech in Psycholinguistics: From Speech Synthesis to Spoken Word Recognition

Jacolien Van Rij (University of Groningen), Vincent Porretta & Juhani Järvikivi (University of Alberta) – Exploring the Visual World Eye-Tracking Paradigm: Introduction and Data Collection & Analyzing the Time Course of Eyetracking Data

Jacolien van Rij (University of Groningen) An Introduction to Using GAMMs for Analyzing Eyetracking Data

2015 STEP

May 19-23, 2015

Harald Baayen (University of Tübingen) – Implicit Morphology

Herbert Colston (University of Alberta) – Figurative Language and Experimental Psycholinguistics: Converging Paradigms and Measures

Juhani Järvikivi (University of Alberta) & Jacolien Van Rij (University of Tübingen) – Exploring the Visual World Eye-Tracking Paradigm: Introduction and Data Collection

Gary Libben (Brock University) – The Psycholinguistics of Complex Words in Creative Minds

Vincent Porretta & Antti Arppe (University of Alberta) – A Short Overview and Introduction to Statistics and R

Benjamin V. Tucker (University of Alberta) – Using Speech in Psycholinguistics: From Speech Synthesis to Spoken Word Recognition

Jacolien Van Rij (University of Tübingen) & Juhani Järvikivi (University of Alberta) – Exploring the Visual World Eye-Tracking Paradigm: Analyzing the Time Course of Eye-Tracking Data

2014 STEP

May 19-23, 2014

Antti Arppe (University of Alberta) – Introduction to Modeling Naive Discriminative Learning

Herbert Colston (University of Alberta) – Figurative Language and Experimental Psycholinguistics: Converging Paradigms and Measures

Gary Libben (Brock University) – The Psycholinguistics of Complex Words in Creative Minds

Antoine Tremblay (Dalhousie University) – EEG Data in R: Formatting, Pre-processing, and Statistical Analysis

Benjamin V. Tucker (University of Alberta) – Using Speech in Psycholinguistics: From Speech Synthesis to Spoken Word Recognition

Jacolien Van Rij (University of Tübingen) & Juhani Järvikivi (University of Alberta) – Exploring the Visual World Eye-Tracking Paradigm: From Data Collection to Statistical Analysis

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