Our methods | Laboratoire de Psychologie et NeuroCognition

Watching what babies like best

The ‘relative fixation time method’ involves simultaneously presenting babies with two images, one on the right and the other on the left hand-side. Using a camera, we can then compare the time babies spend looking at each of these images. This allows us to determine whether babies prefer to look at one image rather than the other, and therefore whether they are able to perceive a difference between the two images.

Linking events

The contingency method is based on our ability to establish a link between two events when they occur together. For example, each time the baby looks at a particular part of the screen, an event occurs (a sound is played, an image is printed, and so on). In this way, we can study what supports the establishment and maintenance of a link between two events. This method involves measuring eye movements using a camera.

Looking for something new

The ‘method of habituation and reaction to novelty’ is based on the gradual disinterest we show for a familiar scene and the renewed attention we show for a new scene. This method involves presenting the same photo to the baby several times in a row until they become accustomed to it, i.e. less and less interested in it. We then show your baby a new photo. If your baby looks at it for longer than the previous image, we conclude that he perceives the image to be new.

Interacting with others

We have 2 studies which attempt to reproduce moments of daily life in the laboratory, while using our equipment to collect data.

In the babbling study, we ask you to play with your baby for about 5 minutes. Your baby wears headphones connected to a microphone. Their vocalisations are transmitted in real time into the headphones. In this way, we record the baby's vocalisations, which we then analyse.

During the second study, we sing a short nursery rhyme to your baby. They wear a headband with a miniature camera on it, enabling us to follow the direction of their gaze in real time. We will then analyse the videos collected.