Office: Moffet 9A
Phone: 607.753.2045
E-mail: kraebelk@cortland.edu

Infant Learning and Memory Project

Project Director: Dr. Kimberly Kraebel, Department of Psychology

SUNY Cortland's Infant Learning and Memory Project is seeking babies like yours to help us understand how infants learn about the world around them. This research project is the first one ever in the Cortland area to be funded by the National Institutes of Health. The research has recently been featured in the Cortland Standard and on News Ten Now (video below). The studies are fun, simple, and quick and are conducted by Dr. Kim Kraebel, an Associate Professor at SUNY Cortland with 10 years of experience working with infants.

News 10 Now features Dr. Kraebel's Research

Want to Participate?

Have Questions?

About the Project:

The Infant Learning and Memory project consists of several different studies that assess learning and memory in infants. We are interested in infants who are 3 months old and 5 months old. Infants may participate at either one or both ages and premature infants are welcome to participate. All of the projects are designed to ensure your baby's comfort, so all testing takes place in your home and in your presence. The procedures are short (typically no longer than 15 minutes) and all involve actions that infants naturally engage in (such as looking, grasping, reaching, and kicking). Your baby will either lie on a baby blanket or be nestled in a boppy. You may sit near your baby the entire time and you are welcome to take pictures or videotape your child as they participate in the study.

Scheduling Visits:

All visits are scheduled at your convenience. We schedule an appointment for a time of day when your infant is in an awake, playful state. We can come in the mornings, afternoons, or even during the evening hours to accommodate parents who work. Visits can be scheduled during the week or on the weekends. We understand that infants often do not have set schedules and we have the flexibility to reschedule as necessary to suit your infant’s needs.

The Visits:

Only the Project Director or trained senior research assistants will come to your home. The procedure will be explained and you will be asked to sign a consent form. We want the visit to be an enjoyable experience for both you and your baby and we are happy to answer any questions you may have. You may decline to participate at any time for any reason. At the end of the visit your baby will receive a Certificate of Appreciation.

The Learning Experiences:

All of the studies involve one of two basic learning experiences. In one procedure infants learn to play a simple game. A satin ribbon is looped around one ankle. When the infant kicks, a toy mobile moves and Sesame Street songs play. Infants like this type of game a great deal, and learn it quite readily. Parents are often amazed at how closely their baby pays attention to the mobile. In the second procedure, the infant is given a simple object to hold (a soft, padded arm shield prevents them from putting the object in their mouth). Once the infant loses interest in the object, they are given a new object to hold. It is fascinating to watch how infants are able to discriminate between objects using only their sense of touch.

Studies at Day Care Centers:

We have recently begun recruiting participants at local daycare centers. If you are a parent of an infant enrolled at the Cortland Child Development Day Care Program, Learning Adventure, Here We Grow, or the SUNY Cortland Child Care Center you may be receiving a recruitment packet from your center’s director. We are conducting two new studies at the day care centers. If you were recruited at a day care center but would like us to do a home visit or would like your baby to participate in any of our other studies, please give us a call (753.2045) or send an e-mail (click on Participate). We are more than happy to conduct the studies in your home.

Reaching Study: Your baby must be 4 months old to participate. Your baby will lie on their back under a Fisher-Price Play Gym and look at colorful objects hanging from the Gym for 15 minutes. Some babies will hold either a round or a square shape while they look at the hanging objects. We will measure how often your baby reaches for the hanging objects. All of the objects will be disinfected (using baby wipes) prior to use for each baby. We are looking to see if reaching behavior is influenced by sensory (sight, touch) information.

Imitation Study: Your baby must be either 6 months or 9 months old to participate. This study involves two 5 minute sessions. We will show your baby a series of actions (i.e., removing and replacing an object from a pocket on a teddy bear). Some babies will hold an object while they look at the teddy bear. The second session takes place either immediately or 24 hours after the first session and now your baby plays with the teddy bear. We will look to see if your baby imitates the actions he/she saw. We are looking to see if imitative behavior (i.e. repeating the actions) is influenced by matching sensory information (through sight and touch). All of the objects will be disinfected (using baby wipes) prior to use for each baby.

If you are a parent of an infant not enrolled in one of the above-mentioned day care centers, you can still have your child participate in either of these studies. Just send us an e-mail (click on Participate) or give us a call (753.2045). We will be happy to arrange a visit at your convenience.

Please Note:

This is not a commercial advertisement. These studies are for scientific research purposes only. This is a federally-funded project and all procedures have been given Institutional Review Board approval. The results of these studies will be presented at national and international psychology conferences and published in peer-reviewed nationally-ranked journals such as Infant Behavior & Development, Child Development, and Infancy. All personal information will be kept strictly confidential.

Want to Participate?

Have Questions?