How do children learn to communicate?
From the time they are born, babies are curious about human speech and the people around them. In the Communication Lab, we explore what makes speech a special sound for babies, and how babies discover that speech and gestures allow humans to communicate.
Each study involves a one-time 30-minute visit to our research center at New York University near Washington Square Park. In a typical study, your child will sit in your lap and hear sounds like speech or music, and see visual displays such as toys, animations, or puppet shows. Children often respond to sounds and sights they find interesting or surprising. By measuring their spontaneous responses, we can find out what children understand about language, about other people, and about the world around them.
We invite you to help us discover how children learn and think by participating in one of our studies!
For more information on the Communication lab, please see: