Welcome to the Center for Early Cognition and Language!

The Center for Early Cognition and Language is located at the University of California Merced. Our research team is lead by Rose Scott, Professor of Psychological Sciences. We investigate how young children learn the skills that they need to become part of their social world. Our studies explore many topics, including how children make sense of other people’s actions and emotions, when children begin to reason about others’ thoughts and feelings, and how children learn their native language. We seek to discover what young children know at different ages, how their understanding changes with age, and what mechanisms drive this development. Our studies with young children are complemented by studies on these same abilities in adults.

All of our studies are made possible by the generous participation of parents and children. If you are interested in having your child participate, visit our For Parents page for more information.