We are always looking for children and families to participate in our studies! Listed below are some studies that are currently taking place.

If you are interested in participating/having your child participate in any of these studies, please sign up here or contact us directly with any questions.

Trust Across Diverse Contexts

Age: 1- to 6-year-old children

Researcher: Lori Markson, Anj Barrett, Emily Langston

This study focuses on how young children decide when and how they trust individuals they do not know/are not familiar with. We will focus on both infants and preschoolers and we will analyze their trust judgments.

If you are interested in learning more about the Trust study, please contact us at artsci-children@wustl.edu.

Impact of Outgroup Exemplars

Ages: 5- to 12-year-old children

Researcher: Lori Markson, Estephanie Estrada, Rachel Moreno

This study investigates how learning about individuals from different social groups influences how children view people from different backgrounds. In this two-part study, children will hear stories about different people and complete a computer-based game; the first part is done in our lab on the WashU Campus. In the second part, children will complete the computer-based game a second time a short period after at home.

If you are interested in learning more about this study, please contact us at artsci-children@wustl.edu. 

Book Study

Ages: 1- to 3-year-old children

Researcher: Lori Markson, Emily Langston

This study focuses on how children interact with the social world, particularly focusing on how they choose to form friendships and relationships. Children will complete activities engaging with a variety of picture books. This study could greatly inform our understanding on how very young children make social decisions.

If you are interested in learning more about the Book Study, please contact us at artsci-children@wustl.edu.