What Sounds Smart?

Participants must be located in the United States of America and be between the ages of 6-10 years.

This study will take place on a video call with a live researcher! Clicking on the “Participate Now!” button will send you to an online calendar where you can select a date and time that works for you. During this study, your child will watch a series of videos of two characters, each uttering a phrase (e.g., A general phrase, or a phrase from a story book). They will then be asked questions like "Who is really nice/smart?", "Who do you understand better?", or "Who is trying to teach you something?".

Previous research shows that adults use different verbal cues, such as hesitancy, speech speed, confidence, and tone of voice, to make character judgments about people. This study will explore whether certain verbal characteristics influence a child’s decision about a character and how they view them. Understanding how these different verbal cues affect children's perceptions can help us understand how stereotypes (universal beliefs) develop from a young age and whether stereotypes are present in children.

20 minutes

$5 Amazon.com gift card. You will be sent an Amazon.com gift card by email within 1 week of participating in the study. To receive compensation, you must meet all of the following eligibility criteria: (1) You are located in the United States, (2) Your child falls within the age range indicated for this study, (3) Your child has not participated in this study before, (4) You provide valid consent.