What goes on in the minds of babies? That's what Huron psychology professor Christine Tsang and her students are trying to discover. Dr. Tsang draws on her training as a developmental psychologist and classically trained musician in her research into what babies hear and understand.
In Dr. Tsang's 2nd year developmental psychology course, students have the opportunity to conduct observational research at the Dr. Mary J. Wright University Laboratory School at Western. Senior Psychology students at Huron may work on independent research projects in Dr. Tsang's Infant and Child Development Lab at Huron, examining the language and music development of babies and young children. "I am examining the role of specific experiences in language and music development," Tsang says.
"Music shares many similarities with language," Dr. Tsang says. "It has rules, patterns, chords and a grammar of its own. Using music, we can make emotional connections with our infants and young children." Dr. Tsang's current research is looking at infants perception of songs for emotional communication, and also the effect of musical experiences on literacy skills during childhood.
The professor says that small class sizes at Huron allow her to do in-depth work with her students that undergraduates in other universities likely don't experience. "I can do a lot more writing assessments, student-driven research projects and generally get to know the students," she explains. "I don't use Teaching Assistants; the students deal directly with me. I pretty much see them three of their four years here, so I get to track their progress. I enjoy this interaction with students."
"I felt that Huron was a really good fit for me right away."
