Babies aren't just passive sponges—they're tiny scientists constantly testing the world. Here at
McMaster, we study how their everyday experiences build the human mind from day one.
See how we make research fun and safe for every little scientist.
Our Research
Directions
The Mind as a
Crystal Ball
Even sleeping newborns anticipate what comes next. We study how the infant brain generates
predictions about upcoming sensory events and how this ability shapes early perception.
Learning from the
Neighborhood
The faces and voices a baby encounters daily shape how their brain develops. We study how
neighborhood diversity and family composition influence face and voice recognition.
Reading the
Room
Before they can speak, infants use facial expressions to guide their attention and
social decisions. We study how emotional cues direct what babies look at and whom they trust.
Faces in
Motion
Real faces blink, chew, and talk. Most lab studies use static photographs, but we examine how
facial motion and viewing distance alter the way infants recognize the people around them.
Where Do Biases
Start?
We're tracing how the brain's shortcuts for processing familiar faces can accidentally plant
the seeds of bias—and what we can do about it in the earliest months.
Science That Leaves
the Lab
We build open-source tools—from smartphone apps to bedside brain scanners—so we can study how
kids really develop, not just how they behave in a lab room.
We’ve developed a new app, Expressions, to track infant development, and our latest publication in Infant Behavior and Development demonstrates exactly what it can do! Through two example studies embedded in the paper, we used the app to track infants from 9 to 14 months. It successfully captured distinct trajectories of manipulation complexity (how babies play with objects), which we found directly predicts their language skills at age two. Check out the paper to see how our app maps out these fascinating motor-language cascades!
Emotional consistency as a guide for toddlers' social engagement
Fang & Xiao
Detecting and utilizing emotional consistency as a cue for social engagement develops during the second year of life. Toddlers aged 18 to 24 months show greater trust and gaze following toward emotionally consistent individuals.
Infants Recognized Other‐Race Faces When Learning Them With Incidental Emotional Sounds
Guan, Geller, Mammon, & Xiao
Incidental, cross-modal emotional signals such as happy or sad vocalizations significantly enhance infants' ability to recognize other-race faces. This highlights the early integrative nature of emotion processing in cognitive development.
Evidence of Top‐Down Sensory Prediction in Neonates Within 2 Days of Birth
Xiao, Robertson, & Emberson
Neonatal brains show the capability for top-down sensory prediction within just two days of birth, reacting to unexpected sensory omissions. This suggests that the ability to modulate perception based on predictions is foundational and present from birth.
NeonatalTop-downSensory predictionfNIRSVisual system
Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) provides a feasible bedside method to quantify brain function and connectivity in neonates with brain injury. This functional information can complement traditional MRI to improve the accuracy of neurodevelopmental predictions.
Hello families! We honestly couldn't do our science without you. The McMaster Baby Lab is a place where playtime meets psychology—we're trying to crack the code on how your little ones learn to perceive, understand, and interact with the world.
Our studies are essentially just fun, short games. Your child might watch a cartoon, listen to some sounds, or play with a toy while we safely measure where they look or how their brain responds. It's painless, completely fascinating, and helps us answer big questions about human development.
We actively welcome families from all backgrounds so that our findings actually reflect the real world. We'd love to have your family join us for a visit!
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
We invite children up to age 12 to join our participant database! While our current studies primarily focus on infants and children from birth to 6 years old, we regularly launch new projects for various age groups. Once your child is in our database, we will reach out whenever a study matches their age and criteria.
Most of our studies are conducted in person at our laboratory on the McMaster University campus. We strive to make every visit convenient and enjoyable for both you and your child.
Your child has the opportunity to experience a real research environment, engage in fun developmental activities, and contribute to scientific discoveries as a 'junior scientist.' It's a great way to support the development of child psychology research.
Our laboratory runs various projects exploring different aspects of childhood development. We specifically focus on how children learn to perceive and understand social information, such as faces and emotions. Before participating, you will receive a detailed Letter of Information (LOI) explaining the specific goals of the study. Our researchers are always happy to discuss our work with you in more detail!
You can reach us by email at babylab@mcmaster.ca or by phone at (905) 525-9140 ext. 23130. We are very responsive and happy to answer any questions you may have.
McMaster University maintains a central developmental studies database. Information is typically collected through hospital recruitment, social media sign-ups, or community events. If you received an invitation, it is because you previously expressed interest in participating in developmental research. If you ever wish to be removed from our list, simply let us know and we will respect your request immediately.
Absolutely. Your information is stored on secure, encrypted servers at McMaster University and is protected by multiple layers of authentication. We never associate your personal details with the research data collected, ensuring that all findings are reported anonymously and at a group level.
Yes, provided both children meet the age and eligibility criteria for the study. We often schedule back-to-back appointments for siblings to make your visit as convenient as possible.
We would love that! Word-of-mouth is one of our best recruitment tools. Friends can sign up through the 'Join the Fun' section on our website, and we will contact them when a suitable study becomes available.
We value your time and privacy. You will only be contacted when your child is eligible for a specific study, and our system ensures that families are not over-contacted. We focus on quality invitations rather than quantity.
Yes! Many families enjoy participating in multiple studies as their children grow. If your child is eligible for a new project, we would be delighted to welcome you back to the lab.
We keep our families informed through annual newsletters that summarize our research findings in clear, accessible language. While we do not provide individual data (as our research focuses on group-level patterns rather than clinical assessments), these updates show how your participation contributes to the broader field of developmental science.
For Future
Scientists
Starting Your Journey
Want to do real science? We're always looking for curious McMaster students to join the squad. Whether you're an undergrad looking for your first research gig or a future grad student ready to run your own studies, you'll get hands-on experience here.
You won't just be entering data—you'll be designing experiments, working directly with families, tracking eye movements, and helping us ask the right questions. A diverse, multidisciplinary team is what makes our research actually matter.
If you're interested in how the mind works, we want to hear from you.
Student FAQs
PNB
If you are interested in joining us, please fill out our Application Form. Be sure to describe your research interests and attach your latest CV and transcript. We review applications regularly and will contact you if there is a potential fit. Due to the high volume of inquiries, we kindly ask that you do not send follow-up 'reminder' emails. Thank you for your patience!
Responsibilities vary based on current projects but often include literature reviews, stimuli preparation, participant recruitment, programming, and running experiments. We provide extensive training resources to ensure all members feel confident and prepared for their roles.
Commitment levels depend on your position. Volunteer and independent study students (e.g., 3Q03/3QQ3) typically have more flexible schedules, while thesis students are expected to dedicate more time as they lead their own research projects.
Academic success is our top priority for all students. We expect volunteers to always prioritize their coursework. Independent research and graduate students should discuss their schedules and commitments with Dr. Xiao in advance to ensure a healthy balance.
PNB students can apply through the Department Ballot System, typically sent out in February or March. Selecting Dr. Xiao and providing a brief statement on your interests will help us consider you for a spot in the upcoming academic year.
Similar to independent study, thesis applications are handled via the Department Ballot System in late winter. We highly recommend reaching out to Dr. Xiao (xiaon8@mcmaster.ca) before balloting to introduce yourself and discuss potential research directions, as we can only accept a limited number of thesis students each year.
Prospective graduate students should contact Dr. Xiao directly via email with a description of their research interests and a current CV. You can find more information about the graduate application process on the McMaster PNB website.
Yes! If you are not eligible for a formal research course, you are welcome to apply as a volunteer. Please email Dr. Xiao with your CV, transcript, and a short note explaining why you are interested in perceptual development research. We appreciate diversity and welcome students from all faculties.
No specific prerequisites are required, as our members come from many different programs. However, a basic understanding of psychological terminology is helpful!
To ensure a meaningful recommendation, we require students to be active lab members for at least six months. Please note that reference letters are generally provided within two years of your time in the lab.
Ready to Play?
Join our community of little scientists.
It's fun, safe, and free!
