Babylab
The Babylab at Middlesex University under the direction of Dr Fabia Franco was established to research psychological development in infants. It researches joint attention in babies in the first two years of life; the production of the pointing gesture in the presence of adults or peers; gazing behaviour (to objects and social partner) and vocalisations associated with pointing.
BabyLab testing area for communication studies
This is separated from the videorecording facilities by a one-way mirror.
International collaboration
Recently concluded projects on joint attention in Late Talkers have been conducted with Laura D’Odorico (Milan-Bicocca University, Italy) -- see 2007 publication in Applied Psycholinguistics
Recently concluded projects on pointing in infant peers have been conducted with Paola Perucchini (Roma-Tre University, Italy) -- 2009 in Social Development
Studies of early development
These are carried out in soft lighting conditions using the NBAS (Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale)
Facilities are available for experiments using preferential looking or visual habituation techniques.
Studies with preschoolers
We also study young children’s perception of implicit causality in verbs, and folk psychological beliefs about mental and emotional experiences - This study has involved international collaborations with Dr Marija Zotovic and Agota Major (Novi Sad, Serbia), and Dr Maryam Danaie-Tousi (Guilan University, Iran).
The Eye Test Revisited – Fabia Franco, Krystyna Pomorska, Anna Abramowski & Dagmara Annaz. This is a study involving typical children and children with ASD. A cross-cultural extension of the project will be developed with Shoji Itakura at Kyoto University.
Current funded projects
BPS Seminars on The Music of Language, the Language of Music (2010-2011) – (£3,000).
SEMPRE (Arnold Bentley Fund) Speech and music tone processing in function of musical and language background (tonal v non-tonal) - with Marcia Chew (Mdx BSc Psych 2009 and winner of the John Ives Prize ’09, as named RA) and Martin Rohrmeier (Cambridge Centre for Music and Science). Starting October 2010 (£3,000).
BRITISH ACADEMY Small Grant Scheme, “If you are happy and you know it ....": Can preschoolers recognise emotion in music?, with Joel Swaine (Cambridge University, Centre for Music & Science) and Marcia Chew (named RA). Starting October 2010 (£7,250).
NUFFIELD Small Grant Scheme, Young children recognition of emotion in the human voice, with Martin Rohrmeier (Cambridge, Centre for Music and Science) and Jana Martiskova (named RA). Starting January 2011 (£17,900).
DFG (PAntrag im Programm „Initiierung und Intensivierung bilateraler Kooperationen“ der DFG, Deutschland – Großbritannien ),
The intertwining of Speech and Song: is there a relationship between perceptual and interactional aspects of parental singing and language development? - Simone Falk (LMU Munich)with F. Franco. StartingMarch 2011 (4,900 Euro).
Other studies
Singing, music and language development in infancy– this is a new project that is being developed with Simone Falk (Munich), Karen Mattock (Lancaster) and Martine Turgeon (Lancaster)..
Information for parents
1. Taking part in a study with your baby
The Babylab is a special child-friendly research room where babies and very young children participate in studies to help scientists understand normal development and functioning in babies. Our knowledge in this field, like in all sciences, evolves all the time as we have access to new technology. Research with normally developing babies is crucial for understanding how babies learn, respond to different situations and interact with people.
This knowledge in turn helps to:
- Pinpoint early signs of developmental difficulties in babies and very young children, such as autistic spectrum and learning or speech difficulties.
- Formulate early interventions.
- Provide parents and professionals with up-to-date knowledge about child development
Many participants find it very fulfilling to contribute to such research. They have:
- opportunities to make a difference.
- parents to understand more about their own baby and how she/he learns about the world and communicates with others.
Complete confidentiality is assured for all participants. If you agree to take part in a project and then change your mind, that will be perfectly fine. For most studies, you would be asked to come to the Babylab only once.
If you would like more information or would like to participate with your baby, please email fabia1@mdx.ac.uk, or telephone 0208-411-5471 .
How do we study babies?
On arrival, parent and baby will be encouraged to play. Along one wall is a one-way mirror where the researcher can discretely videotape the baby while she or he participates in the activities.
Most of our research with babies uses visual or audio stimuli and measures their responses - such as how long they look, where they turn or what kind of gestures they make. Here are some examples:
- Communication: Here a baby is left to interact with the parent or another person and the toys – which may be animated. We will be watching how babies try to make themselves understood with sounds and gestures.
- Habituation: A baby may be shown a picture until they eventually become bored. This process is called “Habituation”. When the baby loses interest, a new or a changed picture will be presented. If the baby can see the new picture as different, then interest will resume.
- Preferential Looking or Listening: Another method is to look at the baby’s preference for different visual or audio stimuli. A baby will look or listen longer if they find something interesting. Babies sit in an infant chair or on their parent's laps – maybe in front of a screen (like a TV) – for a few minutes. They may be shown images of objects or animals (e.g. a car or a dog) and hear a voice saying "Look, look at the car", and so on. We will be watching to record their responses.
Directions and access to the babyLab
Middlesex University Hendon campus is on The Burroughs, NW4 4BT.
The babyLab is on the ground floor of the Hatchcroft building (rooms HG04/HG05 -- waiting area HG09).
If you need it, parking space will be organised for you. Access to the car park is from Greyhound Hill St (it will be on your right, coming up from the Watford Way). You can see the streets and approach to the university on our zoomable map.
From the car park, it will take only a couple of minutes to walk to the Hatchcroft building.
Selected publications
Franco, F. Embodied attention in infant pointing. In J. Metcalfe & H. Torrace (Eds), Agency & Joint Attention. Oxford University Press (2011, in press).
Franco, F., Brunswick, N., & de Mornay Davies, P. Music of Language, Language of Music. ThePsychologist, 2010, 11/3, 913-914.
Major, A., Zotovic, M., & Franco, F. Preschoolers understanding of implicit causality in emotion, cognition and vision verbs: A comparison between Serbian and Hungarian monolingual children. Psihologija,2010, 43 (1), 185-196. DOI:10.2298/PSI1002187M; UDC 159.955.072-053.4 (published in English).
Franco, F., Perucchini, P., & March, B. Is infant initiation of joint attention by pointing affected by type of interaction? Social Development (IF 1.128), 2009, 18 (1), 51-76.
D’Odorico, L., Assanelli, A., Franco, F., Jacob, V. A follow-up study on Italian Late Talkers: Development of Language, Short-Term Memory, Phonological Awareness, Impulsiveness and Attention. Applied Psycholinguistics, 2007, 28, 157-169.
Levorato, C., Franco, F., Tasso, A., Russell, J. Implicit causality in verbs of visual perception: A crosslinguistic comparison between English and Italian. Giornale Italiano di Psicologia, 2005, XXXII N. 3, 131-154.
Assanelli, A., D'Odorico, L., Franco, F., & Salerni, N. Language delay and joint attention. Psicologia Clinica dello Sviluppo, 2005, IX N.2, 289-314.
Franco, F. Infant pointing: Harlequin, servant of two masters. In N. Eilan, C. Hoerl, T. McCormack, J. Roessler (Eds.) Joint attention: Communication and other minds. Problems in philosophy and psychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005 (pp. 129-164).
Butterworth, G., Franco, F., McKenzie, B., Graupner, L., & Todd, B. Dynamic aspects of visual event perception and the production of pointing by human infants. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 2002, 20, 1-24.
Russell, J., Hill, E., & Franco, F. The role of belief veracity in understanding intentions-in-action: Preschool children's performance on the transparent intentions task. Cognitive Development, 2001, 16, 775-792.
Franco, F., & Gagliano, A. Toddler’s pointing when joint attention is obstructed. First Language, 2001, 21, 289-321.
Franco, F., Levorato, C., Tasso, A., Russell, J. Cross-linguistic developmental evidence of implicit causality in visual perception and cognition verbs. In M. Perkins & S. Howard (Eds.) New directions in language development and disorders. New York: Plenum, 2000 (pp. 189-198).
Franco, F. The development of meaning in infancy: Early communication and social understanding. In S. Hala (Ed.) The development of social cognition. Hove: Psychology Press, 1997 (pp. 95-160).
Franco, F., & Butterworth, G. Pointing and social awareness: Declaring and requesting in the second year. Journal of Child Language, 1996, 23, 307-336.
Franco, F., & Wishart, J. The use of pointing and other gestures by young children with Down syndrome. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 1995, 100/2, 160-182.
Jenkins, J., Franco, F., Dolins, F., & Sewell, A. Toddlers' reactions to negative emotion displays: Forming models of relationships. Infant Behavior and Development, 1995, 18, 273-281.
Conferences organised
BPS Seminars on The Music of Language, the Language of Music (2010-2011) - these will be three interdisciplinary international meetings as follows:
1. Development / Evolution, 19-20 July 2010 (London, Middlesex Hendon campus)
2. Meaning / Entrainment, 13-14 December 2010 (Cambridge, Centre for Music and Science)
3. Interaction & Pragmatics / Literacy. September 2011 (London, Middlesex Hendon campus)
Scientific Programme: Fabia Franco (Miiddlesex), Ian Cross (Cambridge) & Simone Falk (Munich)
Organization: Language & Communication Research Group (Middlesex) & Centre for Music & Science (Cambridge)
Collaborators
Marcia Chew
| Jana Martiskova
| Krystyna Pomorska BA Social Pedagogy, BialaPodlaska, Poland; BSc Hons Psychology, Mdx) The Eye Test Revisited, Research Assistant |
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External Collaborators | ||
Dr Simone Falk | Dr Martin Rohrmeier
| Joel Swaine |
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