Methods in Child Development Research

Winter 2023: CHDV 23150, CHST 23150, EDSO 23150/33150, LING 33150, PSYC 23155/33150

Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:00pm-3:20pm Chicago time

This course engages with one current topic (the topic differs each year) from research on child social and/or language development. We will read and discuss a collection of research studies related to this topic to gain familiarity with its primary questions, theories, and methods. We will also, together as a class, conduct a replication of an experiment- or recording-based research study related to the topic. Students should be prepared to read and discuss scientific research articles and to do hands-on research activities. Students will complete the class with expertise on the topic of focus, including experience with its associated methods.

This year’s topic is: The role of peers in child linguistic and communicative development.

Instructor: Marisa Casillas (she/her; mcasillas@uchicago.edu)

Teaching assistant: Jenny Haizhao Bo (she/her; hbo@uchicago.edu)

Office hours: Dr. Casillas only: Thursdays 12:00–2:00pm Rosenwald 318A (Zoom only by request).

Course materials:

All course materials will be available via Canvas or this chatterlab course webpage. All readings are posted under “Files” in the canvas course page or are hyperlinked below.

Grading

Students enrolled in this course will be graded on the following basis:

Participation (30% of grade)

Discussion of scientific literature and practice in child development research is the core task of our course. Students are generally expected to come to class and actively participate in discussion. The participation grade reflects the range from all unexcused attendances and no evidence of reading (0%) to zero unexcused attendances with evidence for completion of all readings and active participation at every session attended (30%). Please stay in touch with the TA about any limitations you have regarding in-person participation or if you need an excused absence.

The total participation grade is based on thoughtfully completed reading notes (see below) and consistent active participation in class.

Reading notes as participation

For each reading students are expected to demonstrate their understanding by responding to a handful of questions. There are three types of readings: journal articles, scientific reviews, and book chapters. For journal articles (indicated below with (JA)), students should copy/download and complete the notes worksheet here. For scientific reviews and book chapters (indicated below with (RV) or (BC)), the students should copy/download and complete the notes worksheet this worksheet.

Active attendance as participation

Active participation simply involves showing up, asking and answering questions, and making comments or otherwise participating in discussion. Students do not need to make up active attendance points for excused absences. If you have an excused absence to report, please email the TA as soon as possible.

Paper presentations (20% of grade)

Students will take turns presenting readings, typically in pairs or small groups. Each student’s average score over their two presentations will make up 20% of their final grade. Students will be expected to deliver a practice version of their presentation via video recording to Dr. Casillas by 11:59pm on the day of the in-class work session dedicated to that presentation preparation (see below). Dr. Casillas and/or the TA will give feedback within 24 hours. Incorporation of feedback is taken into account in determining the final grade for each presentation. The rubric for paper presentations and further instructions can be found here with more specific guidelines will be posted prior to the first presentation assignment.

Stimulus preparation/data annotation (20% of grade)

This quarter we are replicating an experimental study. Students are expected to actively participate in: (a) the creation and evaluation of stimulus videos for the experiment, (b) testing out the workflow for data collection, and/or (c) testing out the workflow for raw data codification. Each one of these tasks will be led by Dr. Casillas and/or the TA. Students will be assigned specific tasks as they arise and Dr. Casillas and the TA will do their best to distribute tasks equitably. There is no rubric for this portion of the grade because the tasks available are somewhat dynamic and unpredictable—that is the nature of study preparation. Full credit will be given for timely and accurate completion of the assigned tasks.

Data collection participation (10% of grade)

Students in this course will get a sense of what data collection with children looks like by sitting in on a live data collection session with one of the trained research assistants in the chatterlab, the TA, or with the chatterlab lab manager. Note that given ongoing concerns around COVID-19, data collection will take place online. Students are required to report on what they learned from the experience in a free-form manner (full credit for completion; brownie points for creativity). A rubric with examples can be found here.

Final exam (20% of grade)

The final exam is take home and will include a mix of medium- and short-length open response questions as well as some data-based questions, all based on topics covered in class. A grading rubric will be posted prior to the exam deadline.

Extra credit

You may earn up to 4 percentage points of extra credit by participating in an ongoing experiment in the chatterlab (2 points per experiment). If you are interested in participating, contact lab manager Kennedy Casey (chatterlab@uchicago.edu) to schedule an appointment. The lab manager will communicate to Dr. Casillas when you have participated in an experiment, but you are welcome to follow up with her to confirm she has received notice of your extra credit.

Schedule overview

Day-by-day schedule

NB: Students should read their assigned papers and submit their reading questions/reflections BEFORE the session where it’s listed unless otherwise noted.

Tuesday, 3 January 2023 (1.1)

• Class type and topic: Lecture – Introduction, syllabus, & group assignments

• Pre-class reading:

  • Jaswal, V. K., & Neely, L. A. (2006). Adults don’t always know best: preschoolers use past reliability over age when learning new words. Psychological Science, 17(9), 757–758. (JA) (pdf)

• Due today:

  • Nothing!

Thursday, 5 January 2023 (1.2)

• Class type and topic: Mini lecture + In-class collaborative work session

• Pre-class reading:

  • Groups 1-3:
    • Re-read Jaswal & Neely with special attention to procedures (JA) (pdf)
    • …and see “ALL” below
  • Groups 4-6:
    • Re-read Jaswal & Neely with special attention to stimuli (JA) (pdf)
    • …and see “ALL” below
  • ALL:
    • VanderBorght, M., & Jaswal, V. K. (2009). Who knows best? Preschoolers sometimes prefer child informants over adult informants. Infant and Child Development: An International Journal of Research and Practice, 18(1), 61-71. (JA) (pdf)
    • Rakoczy, H., Hamann, K., Warneken, F., & Tomasello, M. (2010). Bigger knows better: Young children selectively learn rule games from adults rather than from peers. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 28(4), 785-798. (JA) (pdf)

• Due today:

  • Reading questions

Tuesday, 10 January 2023 (2.1)

• Class type and topic: Lecture – Why study peer influence on language development?

• Pre-class reading:

  • Blum-Kulka, S., & Snow, C. E. (2004). Introduction: The potential of peer talk. Discourse studies, 6(3), 291-306. (RV) (pdf)
  • Rogoff, B. (1981). Adults and Peers as Agents of Socialization: A Highland Guatemalan Profile. Ethos, 9, 18–36. (JA) (pdf)

• Due today:

  • Reading questions
  • CITI certification

Thursday, 12 January 2023 (2.2)

• Class type and topic: In-class collaborative work session for groups 1, 2, & 3 ONLY

• Pre-class reading:

  • Group 1: Hoff-Ginsberg, E., & Krueger, W. M. (1991). Older siblings as conversational partners. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 37(3), 465-481. (JA) (pdf)
  • Group 2: Dunn, J., & Kendrick, C. (1982). The speech of two-and three-year-olds to infant siblings:‘baby talk’ and the context of communication. Journal of Child Language, 9(3), 579-595. (JA) (pdf)
  • Group 3: Sorenson Duncan, T., & Paradis, J. (2020). Home language environment and children’s second language acquisition: The special status of input from older siblings. Journal of Child Language, 47(5), 982-1005. (JA) (pdf)
  • Groups 4–6: Nothing! Excused from class today.

• Due today:

  • Groups 1–3:
    • Reading questions
    • Video recorded draft of presentation by 11:59pm
  • Groups 4–6: None!

Tuesday, 17 January 2023 (3.1)

• Class type and topic: Student presentations – Siblings and language input

• Pre-class reading:

  • Groups 1–3: None!
  • Group 4: Hoff-Ginsberg, E., & Krueger, W. M. (1991). Older siblings as conversational partners. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 37(3), 465-481. (JA) (pdf)
  • Group 5: Dunn, J., & Kendrick, C. (1982). The speech of two-and three-year-olds to infant siblings:‘baby talk’ and the context of communication. Journal of Child Language, 9(3), 579-595. (JA) (pdf)
  • Group 6: Sorenson Duncan, T., & Paradis, J. (2020). Home language environment and children’s second language acquisition: The special status of input from older siblings. Journal of Child Language, 47(5), 982-1005. (JA) (pdf)

• Due today:

  • Groups 1–3: In-class presentations
  • Groups 4–6: Reading questions

Thursday, 19 January 2023 (3.2)

• Class type and topic: Developmental labs field trip

• Pre-class reading:

  • Adolph, K. E. (2019). Ecological validity: Mistaking the lab for real life. In Robert J. Sternberg (Ed.) My biggest research mistake: Adventures and misadventures in psychological research (pp. 187–190). Sage Publications. (BC) (pdf)
  • Kominsky, J. F., Lucca, K., Thomas, A. J., Frank, M. C., & Hamlin, J. K. (2022). Simplicity and validity in infant research. Cognitive Development, 63, 101213. (RV) (pdf)

• Due today:

  • Reading questions

Tuesday, 24 January 2023 (4.1)

• Class type and topic: Discussion – Psychology’s crises + progress report

• Pre-class reading:

  • Singh, L., Cristia, A., Karasik, L. B., & Oakes, L. (2021, November 24). Diversity and Representation in Infant Research: Barriers and bridges towards a globalized science. PsyArxiv preprint, https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/hgukc (RV) (pdf)
  • Kalandadze, T., & Hart, S. A. (2022). Open developmental science: An overview and annotated reading list. Infant and Child Development, e2334. (RV) (pdf)

• Due today:
  • Reading questions

Thursday, 26 January 2023 (4.2)

• Class type and topic: In-class collaborative work session for groups 4, 5, & 6 ONLY

• Pre-class reading:

  • Groups 1–3: Nothing! Excused from class today.
  • Group 4: Ryalls, B. O., Gul, R. E., & Ryalls, K. R. (2000). Infant imitation of peer and adult models: Evidence for a peer model advantage. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 46(1), 188–202. (JA) (pdf)
  • Group 5: Koenig, M. A., & Harris, P. L. (2005). Preschoolers mistrust ignorant and inaccurate speakers. Child Development, 76(6), 1261-1277. (JA) (pdf)
  • Group 6: Kachel, G., Moore, R., & Tomasello, M. (2018). Two‐year‐olds use adults’ but not peers’ points. Developmental Science, 21(5), e12660. (JA) (pdf)

• Due today:

  • Groups 1–3: None!
  • Groups 4–6:
    • Reading questions
    • Video recorded draft of presentation by 11:59pm

Tuesday, 31 January 2023 (5.1)

• Class type and topic: Student presentations – Evidence for/against peer social learning

• Pre-class reading:

  • Group 1: Kachel, G., Moore, R., & Tomasello, M. (2018). Two‐year‐olds use adults’ but not peers’ points. Developmental Science, 21(5), e12660. (JA) (pdf)
  • Group 2: Ryalls, B. O., Gul, R. E., & Ryalls, K. R. (2000). Infant imitation of peer and adult models: Evidence for a peer model advantage. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 46(1), 188–202. (JA) (pdf)
  • Group 3: Koenig, M. A., & Harris, P. L. (2005). Preschoolers mistrust ignorant and inaccurate speakers. Child Development, 76(6), 1261-1277. (JA) (pdf)
  • Groups 4–6: None!

• Due today:

  • Groups 1–3: Reading questions
  • Groups 4–6: In-class presentations

Thursday, 2 February 2023 (5.2)

Class cancelled

Tuesday, 7 February 2023 (6.1)

• Class type and topic: Lecture – Peer teaching

• Pre-class reading (combined with canceled class reading):

  • Shatz, M., & Gelman, R. (1973). The development of communication skills: Modifications in the speech of young children as a function of listener. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 38(5), 1-38. (JA) (pdf)
  • Howe, N., Della Porta, S., Recchia, H., & Ross, H. (2016). “Because if you don’t put the top on, it will spill”: A longitudinal study of sibling teaching in early childhood. Developmental Psychology, 52(11), 1832–1842. (JA) (pdf)
  • Bornstein, M. H., Leach, D. B., & Haynes, O. M. (2004). Vocabulary competence in first-and secondborn siblings of the same chronological age. Journal of Child Language, 31(4), 855-873. (JA) (pdf)
  • Oshima‐Takane, Y., Goodz, E., & Derevensky, J. L. (1996). Birth order effects on early language development: Do secondborn children learn from overheard speech?. Child Development, 67(2), 621-634. (JA) (pdf)

• Due today:

  • Reading questions

Thursday, 9 February 2023 (6.2)

• Class type and topic: In-class collaborative work session for groups 1, 2, & 3 ONLY

• Pre-class reading:

  • Group 1: Mejía‐Arauz, R., Rogoff, B., Dexter, A., & Najafi, B. (2007). Cultural variation in children’s social organization. Child Development, 78(3), 1001-1014. (JA) (pdf)
  • Group 2: Shneidman, L. A., Arroyo, M. E., Levine, S. C., & Goldin-Meadow, S. (2013). What counts as effective input for word learning?. Journal of Child Language, 40(3), 672-686. (JA) (pdf)
  • Group 3: Scaff, C., Casillas, M., Stieglitz, J., & Cristia, A. (2022, November 17). Characterization of children’s verbal input in a forager-farmer population using long-form audio recordings and diverse input definitions. PsyArxiv preprint, https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/mt6nz (JA) (pdf)
  • Groups 4–6: Nothing! Excused from class today.

• Due today:

  • Groups 1–3:
    • Reading questions
    • Video recorded draft of presentation by 11:59pm
  • Groups 4–6: None!

Tuesday, 14 February 2023 (7.1)

• Class type and topic: Student presentations – Cultural diversity in peer influence

• Pre-class reading:

  • Groups 1–3: None!
  • Group 4: Scaff, C., Casillas, M., Stieglitz, J., & Cristia, A. (2022, November 17). Characterization of children’s verbal input in a forager-farmer population using long-form audio recordings and diverse input definitions. PsyArxiv preprint, https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/mt6nz (JA) (pdf)
  • Group 5: Mejía‐Arauz, R., Rogoff, B., Dexter, A., & Najafi, B. (2007). Cultural variation in children’s social organization. Child Development, 78(3), 1001-1014. (JA) (pdf)
  • Group 6: Shneidman, L. A., Arroyo, M. E., Levine, S. C., & Goldin-Meadow, S. (2013). What counts as effective input for word learning?. Journal of Child Language, 40(3), 672-686. (JA) (pdf)

• Due today:

  • Groups 1–3: In-class presentations
  • Groups 4–6: Reading questions

Thursday, 16 February 2023 (7.2)

• Class type and topic: Lecture – Introduction to annotation and reliability statistics

• Pre-class reading:

  • Navarro, D. (2018). Chapter 2: A brief introduction to research design. Learning Statistics with R: A tutorial for psychology students and other beginners (Version 0.6). Accessible at https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/559 (BC)

• Due today:

  • Reading questions

Tuesday, 21 February 2023 (8.1)

• Class type and topic: Lecture – Exploratory and hypothesis-driven approaches to analysis

• Pre-class reading:

  • Read from the start up until 11.7 of…
    • Navarro, D. (2018). Chapter 11: Hypothesis testing. Learning Statistics with R: A tutorial for psychology students and other beginners (Version 0.6). Accessible at https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/559 (BC) (though feel free to finish the chapter if you’re riveted)

• Due today:

  • Reading questions

Thursday, 23 February 2023 (8.2)

• Class type and topic: In-class collaborative work session for groups 4, 5, & 6 ONLY

• Pre-class reading:

  • Groups 1–3: Nothing! Excused from class today.
  • Group 4: Endedijk, H. M., Cillessen, A. H. N., Cox, R. F. A., Bekkering, H., & Hunnius, S. (2015). The role of child characteristics and peer experiences in the development of peer cooperation. Social Development, 24(3), 521–540. (JA) (pdf)
  • Group 5: Seehagen, S., & Herbert, J. S. (2011). Infant imitation from televised peer and adult models. Infancy, 16(2), 113–136. (JA) (pdf)
  • Group 6: Zmyj, N., Daum, M. M., Prinz, W., Nielsen, M., & Aschersleben, G. (2012). Fourteen-month-olds’ imitation of differently aged models. Infant and Child Development, 21(3), 250–266. (JA) (pdf)

• Due today:

  • Groups 1–3: None!
  • Groups 4–6:
    • Reading questions
    • Video recorded draft of presentation by 11:59pm

Tuesday, 28 February 2023 (9.1)

• Class type and topic: Student presentations – Spontaneous imitation

• Pre-class reading:

  • Group 1: Endedijk, H. M., Cillessen, A. H. N., Cox, R. F. A., Bekkering, H., & Hunnius, S. (2015). The role of child characteristics and peer experiences in the development of peer cooperation. Social Development, 24(3), 521–540. (JA) (pdf)
  • Group 2: Seehagen, S., & Herbert, J. S. (2011). Infant imitation from televised peer and adult models. Infancy, 16(2), 113–136. (JA) (pdf)
  • Group 3: Zmyj, N., Daum, M. M., Prinz, W., Nielsen, M., & Aschersleben, G. (2012). Fourteen-month-olds’ imitation of differently aged models. Infant and Child Development, 21(3), 250–266. (JA) (pdf)
  • Groups 4–6: None!

• Due today:

  • Groups 1–3: Reading questions
  • Groups 4–6: In-class presentations

Thursday, 2 March 2023 (9.2)

• Class type and topic: Lecture – What are the results of our study?

• Pre-class reading: None!

• Due today:

  • Data collection participation report

Final deadline (Tuesday, 7 March 2023)

Final exam due by 11:59pm on Canvas.

Contact

Instructor

Email: mcasillas@uchicago.edu

Office hours: Thursdays 12:00–2:00pm Rosenwald 318A (Zoom only by request).

Teaching assistant

Email: hbo@uchicago.edu

Office hours: TBD

If you require any accommodations for this course, as soon as possible please provide your instructor with a copy of your Accommodation Determination Letter (provided to you by the Student Disability Services office) so that you may discuss with him/her how your accommodations may be implemented in this course. The University of Chicago is committed to ensuring the full participation of all students in its programs. If you have a documented disability (or think you may have a disability) and, as a result, need a reasonable accommodation to participate in class, complete course requirements, or benefit from the University’s programs or services, you are encouraged to contact Student Disability Services as soon as possible. To receive reasonable accommodation, you must be appropriately registered with Student Disability Services. Please contact the office at 773-834-4469/TTY 773-795-1186 or gmoorehead@uchicago.edu, or visit the website at disabilities.uchicago.edu. Student Disability Services is located in Room 233 in the Administration Building located at 5801 S. Ellis Avenue.