Let’s Count and Play!

For 5- to 7-year-olds

This study will take place over a Zoom video call with a researcher. Clicking on the “Schedule a time to participate” button will take you to an online calendar where you can choose a date and time that works for you. Your child will play a series of number-related games. First, they’ll be asked to count and write down numbers, followed by a researcher’s positive emotional feedback. Then, they’ll be given a choice between an easier and a more challenging number task. Finally, your child will have the chance to continue counting and writing numbers at their own pace, and they can keep going for as long as they’d like.

We know from previous research that how adults respond to children’s work can play an important role in keeping children motivated. In this study, we’re particularly interested in how different types of positive emotional feedback influence how long children want to keep working on a task and whether they’re willing to try something more challenging. Children will be asked to count and write down numbers, and the researcher will respond with either very enthusiastic or more gentle emotional feedback. We want to observe how these emotional cues affect children’s motivation when they’re given a chance to take on a harder task and decide how long to keep going.

30 minutes

After you participate in the study, we will email you either a US$5 Amazon.com or a CA$7 Amazon.ca gift card (based on your preference) in three to seven days. To be eligible for the gift card your child must be in the age range for this study, you need to submit a valid consent statement, and we need to see that there is a child with you during the experiment.