Thinking About "What-If"

For 6- to 12-year-olds

Your child will begin with a short example story to learn how the study works. Then, they'll watch and listen to two animated stories about spending a fun day with a friend (e.g., at the beach). In each story, something unexpected happens that causes a problem. Your child will then be asked to answer some questions about the stories. At the end, they'll play a few short game-like activities that involve remembering things, paying attention, and following rules.

We are interested in understanding the unique approach school-age children take when thinking about things that could have happened, but didn’t. We aim to explore how imagination shapes the way that children reason about hypothetical scenarios. This study will help us better understand the developmental links between two seemingly distinct, but important cognitive skills: imagination and reasoning.

25 minutes

After you finish the study, we will email you a $5 USD Amazon.com card within approximately one week after participation. To be eligible for compensation, you need to submit valid consent and assent statements, your child must be within the specified age range, fit the criteria for participation, and is with you during the study. Limited to one gift card per eligible participant.