+ Intro to Lab Fall Semester 2012 Developmental Psychology

+ Contact: Lab Instructor: Janea Layes Office: Annex 114F Web:

+ Each day in Lab: We will build on the topic of Language Acquisition Discuss a development linked to language Participate in research-simulating activity e.g. Score/analyze clips of infant activity Conduct basic data analysis e.g. Make a graph, compare numbers (Full instruction and help provided) Portions of these activities will be turned in for credit.

+ Schedule of Topics Week 1: Research Method and Design The basics of doing Developmental research how to create studies that are capable of answering our questions about child development

+ Week 2: Still-Face Effect Discuss and score an infant’s behavior during Still-Face study Exercise: Create graph based on behavior changes

+ Week 3: Joint Attention (JA) Discuss and analyze JA development across cultures Exercise: Compare JA in videos of infants from India and Canada; use computer program to see if they differ.

+ Week 4: Pointing Discuss development of pointing in relation to language acquisition Exercise: Watch video of infant and parent and count the number of points for each. Use program to determine if amount of pointing is related.

+ Week 5: Mean Length of Utterance (MLU) Discussion of speech development with videos at ages 3 and 5. Exercise: Transcribe a child’s speech at 3 and 5 years. Calculate MLU scores, and use a computer program to look for differences as children age.

+ Week 6: Child-Directed Speech (CDS) Discuss and look for differences in the way adults speak to younger vs. older children Exercise: Watch and analyze a video of woman speaking to a 2- and then 8-year-old. Use computer program to determine if there are differences in MLU and pronouns used.

+ Week 7: Lab Exam Multiple choice (50) based on lab discussions and activities Value: 5%

+ Lab Grade Determination: In-class Exercises: 5% Lab Exam: 5%

+ Lab Attendance: Exercises may only be submitted at the end of labs you attend (unless otherwise stated) Exceptions will only be made when lab is missed for serious and valid reasons. (e.g. illness, death in family, class/team trip) If this is the case, please contact me as soon as you know you will be missing lab If you are able to attend an alternative lab block you may be temporarily moved rather than miss a week.

+ Moodle We will likely begin using Moodle as a way to submit exercises. At some point this week: Please go to moodle.stfx.ca and login See if your 260 Lab shows up in your Course list If it does not, me, and include what section you are enrolled in

+ Questions?