Centre for Infant Cognition

The Centre for Infant Cognition focuses on the earliest developmental origins of social and moral development. Our research seeks to elucidate the relative roles played by built-in mechanisms and experience in human morality by studying a group that lacks extensive experience, language, and mature executive functioning: preverbal infants. In particular, we examine children’s tendency to judge individuals’ actions as good or bad, as deserving of reward or punishment, and as morally praiseworthy or blameworthy.  In studying this young population, we use a wide range of creative methodologies including puppet shows, video studies, and interactive studies. We measure infants’ behaviours, responses, and preferences through both traditional methodologies (e.g. looking time coding, behavioural coding, and choice procedures) as well as more complex technologies, including eye-tracking software, facial electromyography (fEMG), electroencephalography (EEG), electrodermal activity (EDA). Investigating how preverbal infants navigate the sociomoral world will greatly contribute to our understanding of human nature.