WHAT WE DO
In our Lab at the University of Milano-Bicocca, we investigate how perceptive, cognitive and social abilities develop in the first year of life. These kind of studies are very important in order to understand how such abilities show up and change over time.
We show babies some simple images, shapes or videos on a computer monitor and we record their eye movements in order to understand if they are sensitive to differences between the stimuli or if they prefer any of them. In some of these studies, we also record spontaneus muscular activity or cortical electric activity, while the babies are observing the stimuli.
Our technical procedures are safe, comfortable and expressly designed to be used with babies.
MISSION
The primary goal of the Early Childhood Laboratory is to identify the mechanisms underlying cognitive development in early life. To understand how infants develop and change throughout development, we use the experimental approach in combination with various neurophysiological techniques.
Our research aims to enrich the basic knowledge on the development of the human brain and mind, and our results serve as a starting point for conducting further clinical and educational research.
The Early Childhood Laboratory supports good scientific practice, promoting transparency, critical thinking, continuity and commitment.
Our commitment is both scientific and educational. Our teaching goal includes the scientific training of master and doctoral students, enabling them to conduct research independently, as well as promoting their curiosity towards science.