Our Studies

If you would like to participate in a study at the LLAMB Lab or want to learn more about our research, please follow this link to provide some basic information about yourself. 

We will contact you shortly after you reach out, and can answer any questions you have. Alternatively, you can email us directly at llamblab@haskins.yale.edu or call us at 203-865-6163, ext. 205. 

Babies’ & Children’s Perception of People’s Talking Faces

Oftentimes, babies and young children find themselves in situations where they see and hear multiple people talking. This could be at a birthday party, a family gathering, or a classroom full of other kids and adults. Regardless of which place they happen to be, they must be able to correctly combine each person’s voice with that person’s face to perceive each person as a unique person. How this ability develops and what specific skills are required for its development is the topic of our current studies. To address our main research question, we present different videos of talking faces and simply record how and where your baby or child directs his or her attention! Participation in this study involves no more than a 45-minute visit to the LLAMB Lab.

NIRS Machine Comparison Study

The technology we use in research is constantly advancing, but sometimes it’s hard to tell which technology is the right fit for the types of questions we’re asking here at the LLAMB Lab. What’s the easiest way to test out what is the best fit for us? Why not compare them side by side! In order to do so, we’re looking at how babies (6-9 months old) process sounds and images using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), a safe and noninvasive technique that has been specifically adapted to young babies. The recorded brain responses allow us to measure infants’ reactions to different types of images or sounds, without requiring any active response from them.

Participation in this study would consist of a 1 hour visit (maximum) to the LLAMB Lab. Your child would view and listen to sounds and fun images on a screen while wearing a NIRS recording cap. This cap has a set of LED lights and sensors that record brain responses to what your baby is watching or listening to.

Goldilocks NIRS Study

Ever wonder what determines what your baby likes to look at in their visual world? So do we! In order to study this, we look at how long babies (7-8 months old) like to look at novel images that vary in the level of predictability in which they appear. We do this by using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), a safe and noninvasive technique that has been specifically adapted to young babies. The recorded brain responses allow us to measure infants’ reactions to different types of images or sounds, without requiring any active response from them.

Participation in this study would consist of a 1 hour visit (maximum) to the LLAMB Lab. Your child would view an exciting array of images on a screen while wearing a NIRS recording cap. This cap has a set of LED lights and sensors that record brain responses to what your baby is watching.

Everyday Objects Study

What does brain activity look like when viewing different kinds of objects? In this study, we are looking at patterns of brain activity that characterize a variety of common objects and animals, as well as how these patterns might differ between adults and infants. To do this, we are looking at how both babies (9-12 months old) and adults process fun videos of everyday objects using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), a safe and noninvasive technique that has been specifically adapted to young babies. The recorded brain responses allow us to measure infants’ reactions to different types of images or sounds, without requiring any active response from them.

Participation in this study would consist of 3-4 visits to the LLAMB lab, with each session lasting 1 hour maximum. The participant (adult or infant) would view and listen to sounds and fun images on a screen while wearing a NIRS recording cap. This cap has a set of LED lights and sensors that record brain responses to what the participant is watching or listening to.