Play and Learning Lab
As a developmental psychology research lab, we want to answer questions about how children's minds work. The answers we find can be used by parents, teachers, and policymakers to help improve the lives of children.
We are interested in how things like play, imagination, and stories affect children's development. For example, how well do children learn from educational storybooks and television shows? What types of books and shows are most effective? How are parents influencing their children's intellectual and emotional development when they play together? Most of our research focuses on early childhood (ages 3-6), but we do occasionally do work with younger and older children (and sometimes adults!).
People
Current Lab Members
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Dr. Emily Hopkins, Lab DirectorDr. Hopkins is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Scranton. She received her PhD in Psychology from the University of Virginia and has been conducting research on child development for over 20 years. |
Alumni
| Danielle Cook, Class of 2020 |
| Sophia Alderman, Class of 2022 |
| Emma Nessel, Class of 2023 |
| Elise Koegler, Class of 2024 |
Current Projects
Parent/child play
As parents, you are your child's first teacher, and play is one of the best ways you can help them learn. In this project, we observe parents and their children playing naturally together, and we examine which factors are related to the type and style of play they use.
Parent/child reading
Another excellent way parents help their children learn is by reading to them. In this project, we are interested in the strategies parents use when reading to their children to keep them engaged and help them understand the stories.
Get involved!
Are you a parent interested in hearing more about our research studies?
Are you a student interested in working in the lab?
FAQs
What happens if I register my family with the Play and Learning Lab?
We will contact you when we have a study that your child is the right age for. We will tell you what the study is about and what participating in the study would be like. You can decide then if you want to participate, and we will work with you to find a time that fits your family's schedule.
What will my child do if they participate in a study?
Each study is a little different, but typically your child might play a game with one of our researchers, listen to someone read them a story, or watch a short video. We might ask them questions about what they heard or saw, ask them to solve simple puzzles, or just observe them while they play.
How long does a study take?
Our studies typically take about 30-60 minutes. You can stop at any time if you or your child does not want to continue.
Where do we go for the study?
You come to our lab on the University of Scranton campus. There is convenient visitor parking available.
I'm interested! What do I do next?
Register your family for our participant database. We will contact you as soon as we have a study for your child.
Contact Us
We are located on the University of Scranton campus in Weiss Hall 309.
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(570) 941 2438
playandlearninglab@gmail.com