About Our Research > The Labs

The Child Development Laboratories at UVa consist of four individual labs. Each lab operates as a separate unit, but all four address questions about cognitive, language, and social development. Clicking on an individual lab’s name below will open up a new window with more details about that lab’s research.

The Child Language & Learning Lab, directed by Dr. Vikram Jaswal, studies how learning language changes the way children think.

The Early Development Lab, directed by Dr. Angeline Lillard, studies the role that pretending plays in children’s lives and investigates best practices in schooling.

The Child Study Center, directed by Dr. Judy DeLoache, focuses on how children master the many symbols that are so important for thought and communication.

The Early Childhood Lab, directed by Dr. Rachel Keen, studies how infants and young children solve perceptual-motor problems. Simple motor actions can tell us a great deal about what a child is thinking and planning.

To carry out our research, we rely on the support of local families, who volunteer about 30 minutes of their time to participate in one of our studies. You can learn what a typical visit is like, get answers to frequently asked questions, and register your family by clicking on the links below.

The Labs | A Typical Visit | FAQ | Register