FAQ For Parents

Infants Scientists Wanted!

We are very happy that you are looking around and are curious about what we do. We could not learn more about how infants develop without families volunteering to participate and we are grateful to each and every one of them who decides to do so! Below is some information that you might find helpful in deciding whether or not you would like to participate:

What is involved in participating in a study?

  • Infants between 3 and 24 months of age (the specific age depends on the study) with normal vision and hearing are invited to participate.
  • Participation is completely voluntary.
  • Participation involves one brief visit to campus.
  • Infants receive a t-shirt or bib for participating.

If you would like to know more, please don't hesitate to contact us by phone at 502-852-6852 or by email at .

We would love to hear from you and are happy to answer any questions you have!

FAQs

We received a call or a letter from you, where did you get our name?

Every month, a list of all the babies born in the Louisville area is provided to us by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. We are given no information about you or your family other than baby’s name, baby’s birth date, baby’s gender, parents’ names, and an address. We do not get any medical information. We use a directory to look up phone numbers. The information we have is kept confidential and secured in a password-protected database. We will not give out this information to anyone unaffiliated with our research. If you have any more questions, please contact a Graduate Research Assistant or Dr. Cara Cashon.

What if we are uninterested and want to be deleted from your database?

We will be happy to delete you from our database. Deletions are the first steps that we take when we update the database.

What is the purpose of this research and what can you tell me about my child?

Infants develop so quickly during the first several years. We are interested in learning more about the changes that occur, for example, in how they think, how they view things, what they know, etc. This is not a diagnostic test; we will not be able to tell you anything specific about your child. Your baby’s participation will help us determine what infants at your child’s age are doing on average. In the end, our research will help society better understand how infants develop.

What does participating entail?

Participating involves your coming to our lab on U of L’s Belknap campus at a time that is convenient for you. After answering some questions, we will show your child some pictures or movies, with or without sounds, and record how long and in what direction your child looks. You will be with your child the entire time and may stop for any reason at any point during the session.

How long will it take?

Your entire visit will take approximately 30 minutes, which includes parking, a brief interview, and testing.

Can I bring another child along?

Yes! We have a toy room and sitter who can play with the other child(ren) during your visit.

Where do I park and how do I get to the lab?

We will reserve a parking space for you at the North Information Center. Fifteen minutes prior to your appointment, we will have someone waiting for you to escort you to the lab. Directions to the North Information Center are on the back of the letter we sent you. If you need directions, we can e-mail, fax, or resend them to you

Will I get a copy of the results or will this be published?

When we’ve completed the study, we will try to e-mail what we found to parents who participated. We often present our research at academic conferences and publish in academic journals. However, depending on the study, it may take a while to disseminate our findings. If you are interested in obtaining a copy of one of our posters or papers, please contact us via phone or e-mail.

Will I be paid for participating?