Areas of Research
The Language Acquisition Research Center investigates first language acquisition - how very young children acquire their native language. We are particularly interested in how children acquire the structure of their language. By looking at two-year-olds who are just beginning to talk, and by comparing their speech with their parents', we can understand what children innately bring to language and what role the speech around them plays.
We use a variety of methods, from analyzing natural conversation between children and their caregivers, to asking children to imitate various sentences and seeing what elements of the sentence they omit, to having children make a choice between two pictures that might illustrate a sentence we tell them, to asking them to describe a picture. We also investigate bilingualism and its relation to cognition, primarily in young adults. Students, interns, and volunteers with appropriate qualifications can apply to be a lab member.
The Gender Equity Project investigates why so few women are in positions of power and prestige. We conduct experiments to determine people's attitudes toward women and men, we synthesize research from psychology, sociology, economics, and organization science, and we develop on-line tutorials. Students, interns, and volunteers with appropriate qualifications can apply to be a lab member.
We welcome students and interns in our lab. A willingness to work hard, consistently, reliably, and meticulously is the most important prerequisite. To find out more about what we are looking for in students and interns, please visit our websites: