Infant studies at the CSGA

At the CSGA, our researchers are interested in how babies discover and make sense of the world around them.

The first months of life are a time of intense exploration, discovery, and learning. Very quickly, babies learn to recognize familiar faces, tell different smells apart, explore new tastes, and so much more. Driven by their natural curiosity, they watch, listen, and interact with the people around them, gradually developing their communication and social skills.

How do they perceive the world? How do they learn? What do they understand? To answer these questions, the DOCC and MIAM teams, specialized in developmental psychology and cognitive neuroscience, study how babies learn about the world through simple, playful activities tailored to their age. For example, we observe babies as they play, look at pictures, or watch short videos. Using measures such as where and how long they look, their facial and body reactions, their movements, and even their brain activity, we examine how they perceive and understand their environment.

Our studies are non-invasive, completely safe, and are designed to be playful for babies. By taking part in this research, you help advance knowledge about child development and deepen our understanding of how babies grow and learn. For more information about our research, or if you would like to participate, please feel free to visit the websites of our two Babylabs.

Our research on child development is conducted in two Babylabs: the P’tit Labo (DOCC team) and the Chouette Labo (MIAM team).

At the P’tit Labo, we study the development of perceptual and cognitive abilities, with a special focus on how babies perceive smells and how smell interacts with the other senses.

At the Chouette Labo, our research mainly explores the mechanisms involved in the development of eating behaviors early in life and how young children learn what to eat.

Below, you can discover the methods and research projects of each Babylab. On their respective pages, you will also find all the practical information you need to contact us and participate in our studies.