Workshops
Pre-Conference Workshop 1: Finding Structure in Time
Loews Hotel Philadelphia, June 30th 2018, 08:30 – 16:00
Organisers:
Tian Linger Xu, Indiana University Bloomington
Kaya de Barbaro, University of Texas at Austin
Ralf F. A. Cox, University of Groningen
Presenters:
Kaya de Barbaro, University of Texas at Austin
Drew H. Abney Indiana University
Ralf F. A. Cox, University of Groningen
Tian Linger Xu, Indiana University Bloomington
Our workshop title was inspired by a highly influential paper by Jeff Elman highlighting the importance of characterizing the temporal structure of behavior for understanding human cognition. We believe this is even more true for infant development. The micro-dynamics of infants’ interactions shape their longitudinal trajectories across domains, from motor and language development to socio-emotional development and psychopathology. Behavior unfolds across many modalities and interactions are organized across many timescales: from seconds (a gaze shift) to minutes (reading a storybook) to years (a secure attachment relationship). New technology allows us to collect multimodal data at a fine temporal scale, leading to the curation of massive multimodal corpora of behavior. However, along with new opportunities come new challenges. Theories are often underspecified as to the exact nature of these unfolding interactions, and researchers in developmental psychology have limited training for working with the voluminous temporal datasets.
In this workshop, we will present an ensemble of methods for finding structure in large temporal datasets. Four modules will begin by covering basic qualitative and quantitative techniques for discovery of structure in high-density data (data visualization and clustering analyses) and then move on to advanced algorithms for quantifying patterns of interaction between individuals or modalities (Recurrence Quantification Analysis and Granger Causality). The presentations will introduce and motivate the utility of each technique for infancy research, as well as conceptual and quantitative foundations for the module. Hands-on activities will provide sample exercises which participants can later modify and apply to their own datasets.
Pre-Conference Workshop 2: Designing Playful Learning Cities: The Learning Landscapes Initiative in Philadelphia and Beyond
Loews Hotel Philadelphia, June 30th 2018, 08:30 – 16:00
Organisers:
Brenna Hassinger-Das, Pace University
Speakers:
Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Temple University & Roberta Golinkoff, University of Delaware: Overview of Learning Landscapes
Martha Zapata, Amanda Morris & Amy Treat, Oklahoma State University: Talking is Teaching in Supermarkets
Brenna Hassinger-Das, Pace University: Urban Thinkscape
Andres Bustamante, Temple University: Parkopolis
Jeremy Sawyer, Temple University: Philadelphia Playful Learning City Project
By 2050, over 70% of the world’s children will live in cities. Yet, many urban public spaces are underutilized and lack opportunities for families to partake in play and playful learning. With less opportunity to read or play spatial/mathematical games with caregivers, young children from underresourced neighborhoods enter school far behind their more affluent peers in reading and mathematics. In this context, public spaces hold immense potential to provide needed learning opportunities for children from infancy onwards.
To help realize such possibilities, this workshop will showcase an innovative line of research transforming public spaces in Philadelphia and beyond into hubs for playful learning. By embedding playful learning within public spaces (e.g., bus stops, stores, and laundromats), the Learning Landscapes initiative supports meaningful interactions between children and families in traditionally underserved communities. Attendees will learn about the social and educational backdrop to Learning Landscapes through presentations about the 21st century skills children need in today’s rapidly changing world. The overall workshop objective is to give attendees the inspiration and practical knowledge necessary to execute their own playful learning projects.
To this end, the morning portion of the workshop includes a guided tour of Philadelphia’s Learning Landscape sites via trolley. The tour will stop at Urban Thinkscape, Parkopolis, and Playbraries—all part of the Philadelphia Playful Learning City project. Attendees will gain insight into how to transform a city into a playful learning hub by directly experiencing urban playful learning installations. Afterward, we will return to the conference site to discuss the playful learning sites we have visited. This will deepen attendees’ practical understanding of how to transform their own local landscapes.
Pre-Conference Workshop 3: Coming Soon!
Pre-Conference Workshop 4: Introducing meta-analytic methods for infant studies
Loews Hotel Philadelphia, June 30th 2018, 08:30 – 12:00
Organisers:
Christina Bergmann, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
Sho Tsuji, University of Pennsylvania
Presenters:
Sho Tsuji, University of Pennsylvania
Christina Bergmann, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
Meta-analysis is a powerful yet underused tool in infant studies. It allows researchers to leverage entire bodies of literature to get a broad and at the same time quantitative overview of a particular phenomenon, thereby promoting theory development and supporting study planning. Further, the role of moderating factors can be examined. What is of particular interest for infant researchers is the possibility to use meta-analysis to detect the emergence of an ability as infants mature. In light of recent concerns about replications in experimental science, it is also important to stress how meta-analyses can help distinguish false positives and negatives in single studies from the absence or presence of an ability in a population (overall or at a certain age). For study planning, meta-analysis can inform sample size decisions by means of prospective power analysis, or method choice by effect size comparison. In this tutorial, we address both future meta-analysts and (potential) users of extant meta-analyses. We will introduce meta-analysis as a tool with which to inform all aspects of the research cycle, from experiment planning over method and stimulus choice to result interpretation. We will also present an online platform we have developed for conducting and exploring meta-analyses in the field of cognitive development: MetaLab.
Participants of the workshop will have gained insights into the use, conduction, interpretation, and visualization of meta-analyses. They will also be leave with an improved understanding of effect sizes, their relation with power and significance, and the use of these concepts for interpreting results. Finally, participants will be able to use meta-analytic datasets to plan their own studies.
Pre-Conference Workshop 5: Facial Action Coding System for Infants and Young Children (Baby FACS)
Loews Hotel Philadelphia, June 30th 2018, 12:30 – 16:00
Organizer: Harriet Oster, New York University, USA
Presenters:
Harriet Oster, New York University, USA
Marco Dondi, Ferrara University, Italy
Harriet Oster and Marco Dondi will conduct an introductory workshop on Oster’s Facial Action Coding System for Infants and Young Children (Baby FACS, 2017 revision), an objective, anatomically based coding system adapted for infants and children from the adult FACS (Ekman, Friesen, & Hager, 2002). Baby FACS is uniquely suited to investigating developmental changes and continuities and subtle individual and cultural differences in facial expression in normative and atypical populations. Dr. Oster will begin with an overview of the theoretical and methodological issues underlying Baby FACS and will present a primer on Baby FACS coding, illustrating the anatomical basis of Baby FACS Facial Action Units (AUs) and modifications of FACS for the facial morphology of full-term and preterm infants and infants with facial anomalies. Dr. Dondi will present strategies for coding facial expressions in very early preterm infants and fetal facial expressions seen in 3- and 4-D ultrasounds.
The second part of the workshop will focus on the repertoire of distinctive infant facial expressions and strategies for coding intensities and variants of positive and negative affect expressions occurring in contexts of infant-caregiver interactions and experimental manipulations and facial expressions reflecting hedonic responses to sensory stimulation, cognitive information processing, and emotion regulation. In the final part of the workshop, participants will have an opportunity to discuss their own studies and strategies for coding and data analysis.
Prior FACS training is not required, but some experience coding infant or child behavior is recommended. Space is limited, and advance registration is required. Refreshments will be provided. For questions about Baby FACS and to let us know about your interest in the workshop, please contact Harriet Oster harriet.oster@nyu.edu
Pre-Conference Workshop 6: Tutorial on using head-mounted eye tracking in infant research
Loews Hotel Philadelphia, June 30th 2018, 08:30 – 12:00
Organizer:
Chen Yu, Indiana University
John Franchak, University of California
Irina Castellanos, Ohio State University
Presenters:
John Franchak, University of California
Chen Yu, Indiana University
Irina Castellanos, Ohio State University
Lisa Oakes, University of California at Davis
Jeffrey J. Lockman, Tulane University
Daniel Kennedy, Indiana University
Researchers have recorded eye movements in infants to investigate a stunning number of aspects of early development, from low-level phenomena, such as visual attention and motion perception, to high-level questions about theory of mind and the origins of concepts. Most eye tracking studies are screen-based, which requires infants to sit in front of a computer screen and precludes movement. Recently, head-mounted eye tracking allow researchers to record eye movements from the infants’ perspectives – what they see and where they attend when actively exploring the world. However, compared with the well-established screen-based paradigm, infant head-mounted eye tracking poses new challenges in both data collection and analysis. The overall goal of the workshop is to share our expertise in using head-mounted eye tracking in infant studies. Specifically, the workshop will 1) provide hands-on training for head-mounted eye tracking data collection; 2) discuss issues of annotating and analyzing high-density gaze data and provide tools to facilitate annotation and analysis; and 3) showcase a wide variety of research applications. To form a research community for sharing expertise on head-mounted eye tracking, we will create and host a website to make resources accessible to the audience for use in their own research.
Pre-Conference Workshop 7: 40 years of research with newborns
Loews Hotel Philadelphia, June 30th 2018, 12:30 – 16:00
Organisers:
Bahia Guellaï, University of Paris Nanterre, France
Presenters:
Bahia Guellaï, University of Paris Nanterre, France
Olivier Pascalis, University of Grenoble, France
Francesca Simion, Professor, University of Padova, Italy
Ana Flo, UNICOG INSERM, France
Lola De Hevia, University Paris Descartes, France
Fabrice Damon, University of Burgundy, France
Research on neonatal cognition has developed rapidly in the past years. The last forty years of research have provided a great amount of evidence for newborns’ perceptual and cognitive abilities. What do we know so far about neonatal cognition? Using a variety of paradigms, researchers became able to probe for what newborns know. We know now that newborns are able to process information coming from the social world and the physical objects through all their senses. They are able to discriminate between object shapes and between faces; that is, they are able to detect invariants, remember and recognize them. The development of techniques such the fNIRS offers also new possibilities to explore neonates’ capacities. Here, we will present different research questions and approach that enable us to go deeper in the understanding of newborns’ perceptual and cognitive abilities. We want this workshop to be interactive and we will propose to the audience debate and discussion times around this topic.