Studies that can be done from home
Assessing reliability of online cognitive tests over time
Online
This project will investigate the measurement properties, in particular, measures of test-retest reliability, of the Cambridge Brain Sciences (CBS) tasks, which is a battery of cognitive tasks designed by Adrian Owen (the primary investigator in this study). CBS is currently used in research to assess cognitive ability in three distinct cognitive domains, but the measurement properties (e.g. reliability) have not been extensively investigated. As a secondary aim of this project, the relationship between demographic variables and performance on CBS will be explored. These two aims will improve our understanding of the CBS tasks, and how to best use them in future research.
Both male and female
18+ years old
Healthy Volunteers
Passive L2 learning in the Wild
Online
Our study aims to better understand the mechanisms that adults use to learning a second language. You will help to help to answer this question by participating in two testing sessions where we will assess your knowledge of a foreign language. In between the two testing sessions, there is a period of passive listening, this is where the language learning will happen. Join us to help discover more about language learning in adults!
Both male and female
17 years old to 35 years old
Healthy Volunteers
Visual Perception in Hearing Signers
Online
Many studies have shown that one consequence of hearing loss is enhanced visual function - a phenomenon known as cross-modal plasticity. However, because the majority of individuals with early-onset deafness learn sign language from a young age, it is difficult to determine whether these changes are the result of sign language exposure or deafness. Therefore, we are interested in how sign language experience alone may influence visual perception.
Both male and female
18+ years old
Healthy Volunteers
COVID Parental and Child Interviews
Online
This research study will examine the impact that the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic has had on children’s and families' physical and mental health. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Canadian families have been forced to work and learn from home which has created unique implications for their physical and mental health. This study will compare families with children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) to families with typically-developing children to better understand the barriers each group faces when it comes to participating in physical activity and maintaining optimal mental health during such an unprecedented time. This study also aims to establish ways in which we can better support both groups during the COVID-19 Pandemic, which may continue for an unknown length of time. Virtual (Zoom) interviews will be conducted with parents/guardians and children to gain first-hand perspectives on the impact of COVID-19 on their physical and mental health. Findings from this study can then inform how we can better help children and families through this difficult situation.
Both male and female
7 years old to 12 years old
& their parents
Children with ADHD &
typically developing children
Social Competency and Autism Spectrum Disorder
Online
The idea of what social competence is, as well as how individuals tend to portray socially competent behavior, varies from person to person. Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder often lack social competence and as a result, have difficulty navigating social situations. This study aims to understand social competence and how it relates to both typically developing and autistic populations.
Both male and female
16+ years old
Please view full study for details
Online
Familiar music from childhood and early adulthood seems to stay with us all our lives. It is also possible that this music has a special effect on older brains. We are interested in familiar music's ability to improve older adults' creativity and cognitive control.
Both male and female
60+ years olds
Healthy Volunteers
LEAP: Learning, Education, and the Pandemic
Online
We are looking for parents with children ages 6-12 to participate in an online study investigating how social distancing affects the physical, emotional, and cognitive health of you and your children.
Both male and female
6 years old to 12 years old &
their parents
Healthy Volunteers
Online
This study investigates the phenomenon of absolute pitch, also known as “perfect pitch.” We are interested in how factors such as age, language background, and music background influence an individual’s ability to label isolated musical sounds. This research might provide insights into how perfect pitch develops and changes as a function of individual experience.
Both male and female
All ages
Healthy Volunteers
A large-scale online study of the long-term effects of concussion on cognition
Online
Every year, 1.2 million people are diagnosed with a concussion. For most, their symptoms will resolve within days of the incident. For about 10-30% of patients however, their symptoms will persist for months and maybe even years after the injury. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether sustaining a concussion leads to long-term adverse effects on general cognitive abilities.
Both male and female
18+ years old
Healthy Volunteers & Volunteers who have had a concussion
Investigating the development of cognition in children
Online
Dr. Adrian Owen and the Owen Lab are conducting a series of studies on how the developing brains think. To do this, we are looking for children ages 7 - 14 years of age to perform twelve online cognitive tasks. We are also looking for the child's parents or substitute decision maker to fill out a demographic questionnaire about their child, which includes demographic questions like age and gender. This project will help us understand how different aspects of cognition develop across childhood.
Both male and female
7 years old to 14 years old
Healthy Volunteers
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