Tweety Language Development Lab

We know that the words "research" and "experiment" tend to bring about more questions than they do answers. Here are some of our most frequently asked questions to help you out. If your question isn't answered here, please consider submitting it to us. 

• Where are you located?
  A: In the Psychology Building on the University of Arizona campus. Our physical address is: 1503 East University Boulevard.
  
  
• What do your studies involve?
  A: A study usually involves having your baby sit in your lap in a sound-proof booth while we play some artificial language samples to your child. While this happens, we measure what your child appears to be most interested in to help us figure out what babies are capable of learning about a new, artificial language in a short visit to the lab. For more detailed information, please visit the "A Typical Lab Visit" tab above.
  
  
• How do I sign up to be contacted for study opportunities?
  A: You can call us or email us with your contact information, and our lab manager will return your email or phonecall to fill you in on the next upcoming study which your child is eligible for.
  
  
• Can I change my mind about participating after I've signed up?
  A: Of course. Your permission for your child to participate in our studies can be withdrawn at any time, for any reason, and without affecting your or your child's affiliation, standing, or relationship with the University of Arizona and any departments or programs therein.
  
  
• When do you schedule appointments?
  A: We schedule appointments 9am-5pm Monday-Friday. However, we do understand that many families have two working parents and cannot make an appointment during our typical business hours. If that's the case, let us know when you contact us and we'll do our best to work out an evening appointment or a Saturday appointment for you.
  
  
• What forms will I have to fill out or sign?
  A: You'll have to fill out a short questionnaire as well as a parent permission form for the particular study that your child is participating in. All of these forms can be accessed above by clicking on the tab "A Typical Lab Visit"
  
  
• I have other children and I don't have a babysitter. Can I bring them to my appointment?
  A: Yes! Our lab is staffed with hardworking people who love to take a break from the day to read books or play games with your kids. The only thing we ask is that you let us know while you are scheduling your appointment, so we can plan accordingly.
  
  
• What information do you need for me to sign up?
  A: We need the following information in order for your child to participate: Your name, your child's name, a good phone number and/or email address to contact you at, your child's date of birth, your child's birth weight, your chid's gender, and your child's birth term (weeks gestation, assuming 40 weeks = full term).
  
  
• Will you sell my information to anyone?
  A: No, we are not permitted to sell your information to anyone. Your information is kept in a password-protected file at all times.
  
  
• Is there compensation for participating?
  A: Yes. For every visit to the lab, your child gets to take home a board book. For every third visit, you get a check as well as the board book for your child.
  
  
• Does participation cost me anything?
  A: There is no cost to participate.
  
  
• The UofA seems busy and parking seems complicated. Do you offer parking for free?
  A: We do offer free parking during the time of your appointment just outside of our building.
  
  
• Do you conduct any invasive studies or collect any biological samples?
  A: No, we do not.
  
  
• How long do your studies take?
  A: Most of our studies take less than 10 minutes of actual participation, with you appointment likely concluding within a 30-minute period. Our toddler study, however, does require a bit more time--approximately 45 minutes. We schedule hour-long appointments for all of our studies to allow you plenty of time to ask questions and change or feed your child beforehand, if need be. Most appointments finish far before the scheduled hour is up.
  
  
• Will I be separated from my child?
  A: You will never be separated from your baby or child while they are participating in one of our studies. The only exception to this is if you bring more than one child to an appointment to participate. If that's the case, we'll have you participate with each child one at a time. While you and your baby are participating, your other child(ren) will hang out with one of our awesome Research Assistants and color, read, or play games. They will also be given the opportunity to watch you and your other child from a monitor while you participate, if they are sensitive to being separated from you.
  
  
• Why do you use artificial languages in your studies?
  A: Natural languages are very complicated. This complexity would make it difficult for us to narrow down what babies might be most interested in while participating in a study. By utilizing artificial language samples, we are better able to incorporate specific information that we think might be useful to babies when they are learning a new language and test them to see if it, indeed, appears to help. Oftentimes, we find that some cues that help babies of a certain age to learn a new language are of no help to babies at a different age!