About our Lab
During the 2020-2021 academic year, we are collecting data online. If your child is in third through fifth grade, please click here to enroll in our study! We also collect data in the AT&T Classroom on Kent State’s campus.
If you have questions about the research conducted in the KSU Cognitive Development Lab, you can contact Dr. Clarissa A. Thompson.
What type of research happens at the Cognitive Development Lab?
• Why are fractions so hard for children and adults?
• What kind of feedback can help children overcome their “buggy” problem-solving strategies?
• Why do children struggle to generalize what they’ve learned to new situations?
• What kind of feedback helps children generalize more effectively?
• Why are adults and older children so much better at remembering numbers than younger children?
• Why are adults and older children so much faster and more accurate than children when making simple decisions?
• Does practice always make perfect?
What is it like to participate in a Cognitive Development Lab experiment?
• Children whose parents sign a parental permission form complete computerized and paper-and-pencil tasks in a quiet room within their school.
• Experiments generally last about 20 – 30 minutes. Researchers work closely with teachers and ensure students do not miss important classroom lessons (e.g., Reading or Mathematics).
• Children work one-on-one with a trained and friendly researcher and receive a sticker for their participation.
• A summary of the research findings will be shared with school administrators, teachers, and parents.