An article jointly written by the Scientific Advisory Group, Early Childhood of the Bezos Family Foundation presents scientific information regarding stress on the brain development of children. It appears in the Brookings Institution report on Future Development. I-LABS co-Directors, Patricia Kuhl and Andrew Meltzoff, are members of the Scientific Advisory Group. Read the article
How babies’ brains process touch
Through the use of safe, new brain imaging techniques, UW researchers provide one of the first looks inside the infant’s brain to show where the sense of touch is processed — not just when a baby feels a touch to the hand or foot, but when the baby sees an adult’s hand or foot being touched as well. I-LABS researchers, … Read More
New Research on Pitch Perception
Pitch is an aspect of sound that is important for understanding speech, enjoying music, and listening in noisy places. People with hearing loss often have impaired pitch perception. This is especially true for people who use cochlear implants. Poor pitch perception can affect people’s ability to enjoy music and hear what others are saying in noisy places. Scientists are still not … Read More
New Research: Infant-directed speech in English and Spanish
Recent I-LABS research explores the unique characteristics bilingual caregiver speech. Consonant length was measured in infant-directed versus adult-directed speech in monolingual and bilingual caregivers. Both groups exaggerated consonants when speaking to their infants, though different patterns were noted across consonant type and language context. Also, consonant length in bilingual caregiver speech varied by language proficiency. The findings of this study study … Read More
Creating Bilingual Brains
A new I-LABS study shows that babies start developing bilingual skills with one hour of play per day. Being able to speak two languages has become one of the most desired skills of the 21st century. One common question asked by parents, teachers, and policymakers is: What does it take for babies to start developing bilingual skills? To find out, I-LABS … Read More
ParentMap Article Highlights I-LABS Research
A recent article on play highlights I-LABS studies. Outreach and education specialist Amelia Bachleda, Ph.D., was interviewed for ParentMap’s feature on the importance of play. From birth, she says, children are “scientists exploring the world, building their understanding of the world through play.” Read the article here. Parentmap is a trusted resource for Puget Sound-area parents. Their articles and partnerships emphasize community connections, … Read More
Toddlers learn how to make things happen by watching other people
A new I-LABS study shows that even children as young as two can learn valuable causal lessons from watching what others do. 24-month-old toddlers were able to learn new cause-and-effect relationships simply by “eavesdropping” on other people’s interactions with both people and objects. Toddlers were even able to learn when faced with imperfect causal evidence, when causes worked some, but … Read More
Can early experiences with computers, robots increase STEM interest among young girls?
Girls start believing they aren’t good at math, science and even computers at a young age — but providing fun STEM activities at school and home may spark interest and inspire confidence.A new I-LABS finds that, when exposed to a computer-programming activity, 6-year-old girls expressed greater interest in technology and more positive attitudes about their own skills and abilities than girls … Read More
Basics of Brain Science for Bilingualism
Naja Ferjan Ramirez and Patricia Kuhl have published a review article titled “The Brain Science of Bilingualism” in Young Children, the journal of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The May issue of Young Children is entirely devoted to brain science, with the goal of connecting the latest brain research to educational policy and practice. The article summarizes some … Read More
New Research Highlights Role of Synchrony in Developing Collaborative Skills
A favorite childhood pastime — swinging on the playground swing set — also may be teaching kids how to get along. The measured, synchronous movement of children on the swings can encourage preschoolers to cooperate on subsequent activities, University of Washington researchers have found. A study by the UW’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences (I-LABS) shows the potential of … Read More