Research | GCLL | Dalhousie

Baby fNIRS Study

How do babies process words?

We are excited to invite your child(ren) between the ages of 12 and 13 months months to participate in our fNIRS study exploring how the brain processes words in their environment. This is an in-person study at Dalhousie University. To thank you for your participation and support, each participating family will receive a brand new picture book and lab-branded merchandise.

What is fNIRS?

Functional Near-Infrared Spectrography, or fNIRS for short, is a safe, non-invasive neuroimaging technique that monitors brain activity. It works by shining gentle, invisible light into the scalp and measuring changes in oxygen, the brain's source of fuel. This works because the brain uses more oxygen when it is working hard!

For parents concerned about the safety and comfort of fNIRS for their baby, fNIRS is non-invasive, tolerates movement, and doesn’t require the baby to stay still in a scanner - instead, your baby can sit on your lap! The light used to measure the brain is completely harmless and is the same light that is used in smart watches and tv remotes. Think of fNIRS as a tool that allows for safe exploration of brain activity during critical developmental stages, all while ensuring that your baby’s experience is as comfortable as possible.

Who are the researchers working on this project?

Dr. Drew Weatherhead

Assistant professor, Dalhousie University

Vanessa Ritsema

Lab manager, Dalhousie University

Alexander Oxner

Honours student, Dalhousie University

Luke Forsyth

Research assistant, Dalhousie University

Interested in Participating?

If you're interested in taking part in our study, please contact us at GCLL@dal.ca. A member of our research team will be in touch with you as soon as possible. Alternatively, you can fill out our contact form here.

Want to know more?

More information about the study and what you and your child will be asked to do can be found below in our FAQ section below along with a copy of the consent form that you will be asked to complete online once a date and time has been confirmed. If you have general questions about taking part in this study, please contact us at GCLL@dal.ca.

If you have any ethical comments, questions, or concerns, please contact us the lab director at Drew.Weatherhead@dal.ca

FAQ

What will this study contribute?
Canadian children learn language in a linguistically (e.g., accents) diverse environment. However, existing models of language acquisition do not account for this diversity. The aim of this study is to investigate how infants process familiar pronunciations of known words and their processing of unknown words. We are also investigating infants process different ways of pronouncing known words after initial exposure and then extended exposure. Understanding how children interpret different pronunciations of words may impact approaches to classroom education and materials, English second language supports, and advise ideal practices in the teaching of language at early ages.

Who can take part?
Participants in this study must be between the ages of 12 and 13 months old, and hear 90% English at home (monolingual). Participants must also have typical hearing abilities.

What will you be asked to do?
There are two components to this study:

Pre-Testing Component: You will be provided with a story to read aloud to your baby everyday for two weeks prior to the experiment.

Experimental Component: In our lab, your baby will listen to new and familiar words with different pronunciations. They will also see sensory videos or images related to words. We will measure how babies process these words by tracking their eye movements and measuring brain activity using fNIRS.

In total, the pre-testing and the experimental components will take approximately 115 minutes to complete. Your willingness to participate and/or to allow your child to take part in this study is voluntary and you or your child may withdraw from the study at any time.

Who will your child work with?
Dr. Drew Weatherhead will be conducting the study with assistance from lab manager Vanessa Ritsema, and undergraduate research assistants Alexander Oxner and Luke Forsyth. The primary researchers have experience working with and conducting research with children, and all individuals listed above have undergone Criminal and Vulnerable Record checks, as well as a Child Abuse Registry check.

What will we do with the information?
Once collected, data will not be linked directly to participant names or birth dates, except through an ID number on a separate, encrypted and password-protected spreadsheets, to which only the primary researchers will have access. Findings from the study will be shared as the results of all participants combined and will be published in scientific journals, educational conferences, and on our labs social media. Additionally, you have the choice of receiving a letter with a summary of our findings for the group as a whole.

For more detailed information about the study, feel free to download and view our consent form by clicking the red pdf icon.