Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Child Study Center?

The Child Study Center is part of the Department of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts. We are staffed by faculty and other professionals whose work is concerned with abilities that are important to development in children. Community children have participated in activities at the center for over 20 years.

How will my family be contacted?

Studies are generally based on the ages of children at a given time. If your child's age falls within the range we are interested in, you may be contacted by phone or email to discuss the study and whether you would like your child to particpate.

What can my child and I expect if we participate?

Our research is designed for infants and children. You will be fully informed about what you and your child will be asked to do. No discomfort or risks are associated with any study.

Will I be with my child throughout the study?

Yes. Keeping parents close to their children throughout the visit ensures a pleasant experience for everyone.

Can I bring my other children?

Of course! With advance notice, we will provide a sitter for siblings in our special playroom.

What are Event-related Potentials (ERPs)?

The brain contains billions of neurons and connections between neurons. When neurons communicate with each other they produce electrical activity. The electrical activity of neurons spreads throughout the head and can be non-invasively recorded from the scalp using recording sensors.

Recording this electrical activity for a continuous period of time is called the electroencephalogram or EEG. The ERP reflects the brain's response to a specific event, such as the presentation of a picture or sound. This method allows for us to present different pictures to infants and examine the brains response to these different pictures. For example, in one study, a picture of the mother's face and a picture of a stranger's face were presented to 6-month -old infants. Although infants can't tell us that they recognize their mother's faces, a different brain response to the mother's face compared to the stranger's face suggests that the infant is differentiating these two faces.

Will participating in an ERP study harm my infant/child?

EEG has been used to examine brain activity in infants, children, and adults for over 30 years. It is a safe, non-invasive method for measuring brain activity. By placing recording sensors on the head we can pick up brain activity that is naturally emitted from the head. Recording brain activity from sensors is analogous to recording a voice with a tape recorder. This recording process does not hurt the participant in any way.