Each semester the Infant Cognition Lab takes on undergraduate students as Research Assistants; they get hands-on experience running experiments with infants and are a vital part of the lab’s operation.

While our lab has undergone changes to adapt to the impact of COVID-19, we are striving to provide interesting and engaging experiences to our undergraduate RAs. To see our COVID safety protocol, click here.

Students are trained to act as experimenters or observers for in-person studies, and as online experimenters for online studies. Students also help with other aspects of the lab’s operation, including coding videos, communicating with parents, and implementing our COVID safety protocol.

The first semester students work in the lab, they receive Psych 290 credit; during subsequent semesters, they may elect to receive course credit or hourly pay. Students working for Psych 290 credit receive 3 hours of credit for working 6 clock-hours per week.

The lab typically operates during the Fall and Spring semesters and during Summer Session II. Hours of operation are variable, but most shifts occur weekdays between 9 am-noon or 3:30-6:30 pm, Saturday mornings, or Sunday afternoons.

Students should contact the lab in advance of the semester during which they would like to work. The lab begins accepting Research Assistant applications for the Spring semester in November, and for both Summer Session II and Fall semester in April.

If you have any questions, please contact the Lab Coordinator, Melissa Yako at infantlab@illinois.edu.