Learning, Attention, and Decision Making Throughout Development
Celeste Kidd, Professor
Psychology
Applications for Fall 2024 are closed for this project.
The Kidd Lab studies learning and belief formation using a combination of computational and behavioral methods. In our behavioral experiments, we measure how humans look, explore, play, and learn starting in infancy and continuing throughout childhood. We use eye-trackers to measure visual fixations, touchscreens to study exploration in kid-friendly apps, and other methods to study a range of developmental topics.
This semester, our projects will explore a range of developmental topics:
1. Social learning and theory of mind: How do children infer others’ hidden knowledge based on how they respond to new information? And how do children detect when others are biased? (Project lead: Evan Orticio, PhD student)
2. Role of certainty in learning: How do children become certain while learning new concepts? (Project lead: Huiwen Alex Yang, PhD student)
3. Visual attention: This project uses eye tracking data to investigate the relationship between visual attention and learning during a screen-based task. (Project lead: Sarah Stolp, PhD student)
4. ChatGPT exploration: Children are increasingly using large language models (LLM) like ChatGPT, but we don’t know how they use or conceptualize them. This study will record and analyzes children’s queries to ChatGPT to better understand how they use LLMs.
To apply, please fill out this Google Form to supplement your URAP application:
https://forms.gle/moGxQFojG8eEuDUv5
Role: Research Assistants will be assigned to one or more studies based on student interest and the lab’s current needs. Responsibilities will include running behavioral experiments with children ages 2-8 in the lab and at other testing sites. Additionally, duties may include participant recruitment, collecting, organizing, and coding data, and assisting with administrative tasks. RAs may meet regularly with the project team to discuss relevant theoretical and empirical papers in addition to maintaining open communication on study progress. RAs will be involved in multiple aspects of the research project, which will allow them to gain insight into the research process.
Qualifications: We expect that RAs are organized, dependable, communicative, and work diligently. RAs must have decent computer literacy and be willing to learn about the various software applications and online platforms used by the lab. No previous research experience is required, but experience working with children and parents is preferred. RAs must be willing to travel (car not required) to museums and other testing sites that are off-campus. Preference may be given to applicants who have availability on Saturday and/or Sunday to collect data on some weekends. We ask that RAs commit to two semesters working in the lab.
Day-to-day supervisor for this project: Holly Palmeri, Staff Researcher
Hours: 9-11 hrs
Off-Campus Research Site: 2121 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA
Related website: http://kiddlab.com
Related website: https://forms.gle/moGxQFojG8eEuDUv5