Attention to Faces
How children attend to faces shapes their understanding of emotions, intentions, and social communication. We study how these processes contribute to social learning and infant-caregiver relationships.
How children attend to faces shapes their understanding of emotions, intentions, and social communication. We study how these processes contribute to social learning and infant-caregiver relationships.
Why Children Pay Attention to Faces
Ages: 3-6 years old
Children watch short scenes of people and objects while we gently track where their eyes move using a completely safe, camera-based system. We’re especially curious about whether kids naturally focus more on faces — and whether certain expressions or social interactions grab their attention more than others. By seeing what children look at first and longest, we can better understand how they begin learning about other people. These early attention patterns give us insight into how social understanding develops during childhood.
Why Children Pay Attention to Faces
Ages: 3-6 years old
Children watch short scenes of people and objects while we gently track where their eyes move using a completely safe, camera-based system. We’re especially curious about whether kids naturally focus more on faces — and whether certain expressions or social interactions grab their attention more than others. By seeing what children look at first and longest, we can better understand how they begin learning about other people. These early attention patterns give us insight into how social understanding develops during childhood.
Do children show race-based attention biases when viewing faces?
Ages: 6-10 years old
Kids play a simple, age-appropriate computer game while pictures of people briefly appear on the screen. Even when they’re focused on winning, do faces pull their attention away? That’s what we’re exploring. Understanding these natural shifts in attention helps us learn how children become aware of social differences and how their understanding of others grows over time.
Do children show race-based attention biases when viewing faces?
Ages: 6-10 years old
Kids play a simple, age-appropriate computer game while pictures of people briefly appear on the screen. Even when they’re focused on winning, do faces pull their attention away? That’s what we’re exploring. Understanding these natural shifts in attention helps us learn how children become aware of social differences and how their understanding of others grows over time.
How Familiar Faces Capture Children's Attention
Ages: 6-10 years old
During a fast-paced search game, children try to find a target picture as quickly as possible. Occasionally, different faces pop up on the screen. What stands out? Children are much more distracted by their caregiver’s face than by a stranger’s. Even when concentrating, meaningful relationships naturally capture their attention. These findings highlight how close bonds shape attention, learning, and the way children experience the world around them.
How Familiar Faces Capture Children's Attention
Ages: 6-10 years old
During a fast-paced search game, children try to find a target picture as quickly as possible. Occasionally, different faces pop up on the screen. What stands out? Children are much more distracted by their caregiver’s face than by a stranger’s. Even when concentrating, meaningful relationships naturally capture their attention. These findings highlight how close bonds shape attention, learning, and the way children experience the world around them.
How Infants Attend to Different Kinds of Faces
Ages: 6-11 months old
Babies sit comfortably and look at pictures of faces while we measure their eye movements using a safe, non-invasive eye-tracking camera. We examine how quickly infants notice faces and how long they stay focused on them. These early patterns reveal how babies begin prioritizing socially meaningful people in their environment — laying the groundwork for connection, communication, and learning during the first year of life.
