Congratulations to Jose Ceballos who, along with Andrea Stocco and Chantal Prat, co-authored the paper “The Role of Basal Ganglia Reinforcement Learning in Lexical Priming and Automatic Semantic Ambiguity Resolution.” This paper was one of only two to receive the Cognitive Science Society’s Marr Prize this year. This prize is given out annually to the best student-first authored paper at their … Read More
I-LABS Research Well Received in Israel
I-LABS co-Director Dr. Patricia Kuhl shared her research with policymakers, caregivers, and journalists in a series of lectures and interviews in Israel. In support of the Israeli Ministry of Health’s ‘First 1,000 Days Strategy,’ she connected with health care professionals who work with parents from all walks of life. Video of Kuhl’s presentation is here. Kuhl was also interviewed for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
I-LABS Video Is A Finalist in APA Competition
I–LABS Outreach and Education Specialist Marley Jarvis’ video on Moving in Unison has been named as a finalist in The American Psychological Association’s PsycShorts Video Festival and Competition. Marley’s two-minute video highlights research done here at I-LABS through her original animation. APA judges will decide on some winners, but there is also an Audience Prize which is decided by popular vote. … Read More
Summer “reading camp” to examine brain circuitry essential to literacy
A two-week “camp” to be held at UW Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences (I-LABS) this summer will provide instruction in early literacy skills and reading basics for soon-to-be kindergarteners. Building on previous research showing that an intensive reading intervention program changed the brain’s reading circuitry in struggling, school-aged readers, Dr. Jason Yeatman, an Assistant Professor at I-LABS and head of the Brain … Read More
New research shows children’s brain responses in anticipation of touch
Anticipation is an exercise in focus, a neural preparation that conveys important visual, auditory or tactile information about what’s to come. New brain research among 6- to 8-year-old children conducted at the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences (I-LABS) and Temple University shows not only this expectation in real time, but also how anticipation relates to executive … Read More
“Parent coaching” boosts early language skills
Teaching parents about communication strategies with their infants has a direct impact on their childrens’ language development according to new I-LABS research published online in Developmental Science. Parents instinctively use a special style of talking with their infants, called “parentese”. However, by coaching parents on the how and why of its importance when the infants were 6 and 10 months of … Read More
How the Baby Brain Represents Lips
I-LABS co-director Andrew Meltzoff, and his colleagues Joni Saby and Peter Marshall, recorded brain activity while touching baby lips, hands, and feet. They documented significant activity over the somatosensory cortex in 60-day-olds. The most prominent activity occurred when infant’s lips were touched. The researchers hypothesize that infant body maps are foundational for imitative learning and self-other connections in early infancy. … Read More
I-LABS wins Facilitator’s Choice in NSF’s STEM for All Video Showcase
Allison Master’s research on girl’s motivation for STEM activities was one of 200 videos in the 2018 STEM for All Video Showcase, and was selected to receive the “Facilitator’s Choice” award. This online event features innovative research sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) that aims to improve STEM learning and teaching. A gender gap exists in interest in programming, computer science … Read More
First 5 California – Keynote
Dr. Andrew Meltzoff delivered the opening keynote at the First 5 California annual summit. His presentation highlighted children’s early brain development and the importance of social interactions between children. From imitating others to the development on empathy, the keynote underscored children’s social nature as they way they learn.
NSF Celebrating Women’s History Month – How to Increase Women in STEM
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is celebrating Women’s History Month by focusing on gender disparities in scientific fields. They reached out to I-LABS co-Director Andrew Meltzoff. As he describes in the video below, research at I-LABS has shown that children acquire stereotypes about ‘who does STEM’ at surprisingly early ages. Fortunately, children’s beliefs about STEM are malleable, rather than fixed in … Read More