What will an online study involve?
Your child’s participation in an online study will involve a 20-30 minute session with our researchers using a computer, tablet, or mobile device. Our goal continues to be that the child’s experience is fun and rewarding, so we begin the session by providing an introduction and explanation of the study’s components, to attempt to ensure that you and your child feel comfortable. It is suggested that you stay with your child for the study’s entirety in case any technical issues or questions arise. All of our studies are non-evaluative and the games are meant to be fun for your child. After your child is finished participating in the online study, you will have the opportunity to ask the researcher any questions you may have. Please note that your child’s individual performance is not evaluated. This is because we are interested in children’s performance as a group. For instance, we’re interested in how 3-year-olds differ from 4-year-olds in their ability to plan for the future. After we complete the studies, we present them at developmental psychology conferences and publish them in various academic journals. We also create a newsletter to keep parents updated on the progress of our studies.
Can you describe a typical online study?
A study will typically involve slides with images and text which the researcher presents to your child. The researcher will describe various situations using the slides and ask your child for a response. For example, the researcher may present your child with a photograph of a beach and then ask him/her to imagine that he/she is planning a trip to the beach. Then the researcher will ask your child what he/she would like to bring on this trip and why.
The information below pertains to frequently asked questions about the CCLL outside of the COVID-19 pandemic period:
What will a visit to the CCLL involve?
Your child’s participation in a study will involve a one-time visit of approximately 45 minutes to an hour to our research laboratory at the University of Ottawa. When you arrive, you will be greeted in our reception room by one of our researchers who will give you more information about the study. The researcher will take the opportunity to play with your child in the play area. Our goal is that your child’s visit be a fun and rewarding experience, so we begin by making your child feel comfortable in these new surroundings.
The researcher will then invite your child to play some games in one of our testing rooms. You may choose to either watch your child on a closed circuit television monitor in our observation area, or, if you prefer, you are welcome to stay in the testing room with your child. All of our studies are non-evaluative and the games are meant to be fun for your child. After your child is finished playing these games, you will have the opportunity to ask the researcher any questions you may have.
Please note that your child’s individual performance is not evaluated. This is because we are interested in children’s performance as a group. For instance, we’re interested in how 3-year-olds differ from 4-year-olds in their ability to plan for the future. After we complete the studies, we present them at developmental psychology conferences and publish them in various academic journals. We also create a newsletter to keep parents updated on the progress of our studies.
To see what a typical visit for a family to the CCLL and our partner child development labs looks like from start to finish, we invite you to watch our YouTube testimonial video that captures all the fun!
Can you describe a typical study?
Our studies typically involve playing with various props, such as puppets, stickers, and picture books. The researcher starts by describing a situation with the assistance of the props and then asks your child for a response. For example, the researcher may show your child a photograph of a beach and then ask them to imagine that they are planning a trip to the beach. Then the researcher will ask your child what they would like to bring on this trip and why.
How do I set up an appointment?
If you are interested in participating in a study, or if you would simply like to obtain more information, please call us at 613-562-5800 ext. 4475. We always have several ongoing research projects with children of different ages. Although we may not have an immediate opportunity for you and your child to participate, you can be sure that we will contact you as soon as we do! After your first visit, you can let us know whether you would be interested in participating again, as many of our parents and children often wish to participate more than once!
Do you have ethics approval for your research?
All of our studies have been reviewed and approved by the Research Ethics Board at the University of Ottawa. Each child’s performance is considered confidential. Each session is videotaped to help us later observe your child’s responses during the session in more detail. No one from outside of our research group is given permission to view these videos.