CLF Behavioral visits

After consent forms have been filled out and family seems ready to move on from the waiting room, lead them to the CLF room.

Simple Pointing Task

"Alright, we will be playing three different games in this room today! The first one is very quick. I'll have you place [BABY] on this blue X and you can sit right behind them in that chair. I will be sitting right in front of [BABY] on the other blue X."

Sit down in front of [BABY]. Alternating between trials—4, 2 or 1,3—make direct eye contact with [BABY] before saying "[BABY], look!" and point out the designated animal. Follow your own point with your gaze, then look back at [BABY] to see if they follow your point. Point out the second designated animal using the same procedure.

"Great! That is the end of the first game. For the other two games, you can either sit on this chair with [BABY] on your lap, of you can sit beside [BABY] in this highchair if you prefer– whichever you think will be the most comfortable and calming for [BABY]. Either way, [BABY] will sit in the middle of the table, and I will sit directly across from them."

Point and Search Task

"We're going to be hiding and playing with some toys next! Baby will have the chance to search for some toys, and though it may be tempting to help, we want [BABY] to look by themselves. I will start with a few easier rounds, then it will get a bit harder."

Set up the box in the center of the table, pushed closer to the experimenter side and with the boxes open, with no cloth concealing the inside. For the first round, choose a toy to play with and then show [BABY].

"We're going to play with this toy first! Look how cool!"

Show the [BABY] the toy and adlib. Give them a second to look at the toy.

"Alright, I'm going to hide it now!"

Bring the toy down below the table, shuffle it back and forth between your hands to mimic mixing it up, then, with palms up and the toy clearly displayed in one of your hands, bring the toy back up into view and place it obviously in the open box. Make eye contact with [BABY], not toy/box, so as not to hint at which side it is on

"Where's the toy?"

Push the boxes towards [BABY] so they can reach both boxes and 'search' for the hidden toy. Once they find the toy, let them play with it for a few seconds and congratulate them. Show them the next toy you are going to hide in exchange for the previous toy. Pull the boxes back towards you, and place the cloths on each box to hide the inside of the box.

"We're going to play with this new toy now! Look how cool!"

Ask for the old toy back, and enlist the parents’ help if baby is reluctant to hand it back to you.

"Alright, I'm going to hide it now!"

Repeat the same procedure, showing the toy off for a few seconds, then hide from view again, shuffle between hands, and with palms up and toy clearly displayed in one of your hands, bring the toy back up into view and place it obviously in the now concealed box. They should be able to see you place the toy in the box.

"Where's the toy?"

Push the boxes towards [BABY] again, close enough so they can reach each box and the fabric concealing them. Make eye contact with [BABY] so as not to hint at which side it is on. Give them 20s to search for the toy, ad libbing as they search with positive reinforcement. If after 20 seconds they do not do anything, help them remove one of the cloths so they can see into the box and eventually find the toy.

"Good job! You found it!"

Show them the next toy you are going to hide in exchange for the previous toy. Pull the boxes back towards you, and replace the cloths on each box to hide the inside of the box. If [BABY] searched on both trial runs, enter the main experiment stage. If not, redo some practice trials.

"Alright, that was great practice! We're going to make it just a little bit harder and this will be the main part of the experiment!"

Repeat the same procedure up until the hiding stage. This time, following the randomized hiding order as indicated by the coding sheet, place the toy in the correct hand, and conceal both hands so [BABY] cannot tell which hand it is in. Quickly hide the toy, keeping eye contact with [BABY], then push the boxes back to [BABY]'s side of the table. Using the opposite hand of the side of the table the toy is hidden on, point across your body, directly to the box which has the toy in it.

"Where's the toy?"

Hold eye contact with [BABY], and keep your hand pointed at which box it is in. Give them 20s to start searching for the toy, help them search if they make no effort in 20s. Ad lib as they search. Repeat this procedure for the duration of the experiment as outlined in the coding sheet.

Felt Object Word Comprehension Task

"Great job! For this next game, we will stay in these positions. We're going to be looking at some felt objects and test which words [BABY] knows! Some words [BABY] might know and some they might not, which is okay—we want to test which words [BABY] understands at this time. So again, we ask that you don’t point or repeat the question after me. When we find a new object, we get to fill up our blue gift bag!"

Remove the boxes from the previous game and grab the felt tray. Using the three warm-up objects as indicated by the coding sheet, do three rounds to show [BABY] how to play the game. Grab the first object and place it in the center panel, down low on the board so [BABY] can reach it. Before you show them, tell [BABY] what you are going to be showing first.

"Okay, first we're going to see the pacifier!"

Pick up the board facing [BABY] and hold it up so they can see it clearly. Hold it up for a few seconds so they can look at it.

"Where's the pacifier?"

Push the board towards [BABY] so they can reach it now, and repeat the object one more time.

"Where's the pacifier?"

Give them 20s to grab the object and look at it for a few seconds. Then, bring up the blue bag and place it (on its side so the baby can reach the opening) in front of the baby. Ask,

“Can you put that in here?”

(not using the word, since on future trials they could pick up the wrong object) and point to the bag to get the object back. Repeat this process for the next two warm-up objects.

Following the coding sheet, you will present a series of objects together, either on the left or right side of the felt board. The same two objects will always be paired. Ensure that you are consistent with the sides of the board you are using; objects will alternate between being on your left or right. The procedure is the same: put both objects on the board, tell [BABY] which object they will be looking for, show them the board for a few seconds, repeat the object, push board towards [BABY], and repeat the object one last time.

Regardless of which object they choose, positively reinforce their choice. Indicate on the coding sheet their first touch and final choice. If the [BABY] doesn't touch the objects at all after the first three trials and first real round, stop the experiment early.

Other criteria for stopping early:

If they’re screaming/crying/stop searching for more than two trials in the middle

If parent asks to stop