Current Projects

 Assessing children’s rule following behaviours in an academic context.
We are interested in the factors that might contribute to the development of academic rule following in young children. During the study children will complete various games and will read short stories to identify the role certain factors might play in their rule adherence. All our study activities are completed at home.

Can an emotionally aware AI tutor better support students experiencing math anxiety? 

 This study explores how an AI math tutor can adapt to students’ emotional responses while they work through math problems. The tutor provides personalized support based on each student’s needs and learning experience. We are interested in whether this approach can improve students’ engagement, confidence, and learning experience compared with conventional AI tutoring tools. 

Can conversational and non-verbal cues help identify signs of anxiety, depression, and stress? 

This study explores whether an interactive video-based AI system can help assess mental health through natural conversation. Participants will interact with an AI agent while the system examines conversational and non-verbal cues related to anxiety, depression, and stress. We are interested in how this approach compares with traditional self-report questionnaires. 

 Do naps help cognition, diminish stress, and improve physiological functioning?
This study uses conventional physiological monitoring and novel contactless physiological monitoring (TOI) to examine the psychophysiological changes during sleep and study whether sleep improves psychological functioning (for example, stress, emotion, and performance on memory and cognitive tasks). 

 How does sleep develop through infancy?
This study uses contactless monitoring of psychophysiological and natural sleep behaviour to determine fundamental patterns, changes, and various factors which may influence sleep development across childhood. Parents will help record their child/infant’s sleep behaviour and physiology using a specialized camera across several days at home.

How does cheating develop in childhood?

In this three-year online study, we explore in what situations and stages of development children are more or less likely to cheat or break rules. Children from 4 to 11 years old will read short stories and engage in games to help identify factors that influence rule-following across various contexts.