Letter to the editor: Learn about the Lifespan Cognition Lab’s newest study and how to participate
The Lifespan Cognition Lab, which focuses on research about cognitive and developmental psychology, is based at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. (Submitted/Suneet Gill)
Dear KPU community,
The Lifespan Cognition Lab is a student-focused research lab at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, founded by Dr. Daniel Bernstein. Our research focuses on cognitive and developmental psychology, specifically investigating how thinking and memory change develop across the lifespan. Our work aims to improve understanding of age-related memory changes in how people understand their own and others’ thought processes.
A big part of our lab is the hands-on research experience provided to our 10-to-15 student members. Lab members engage in all aspects of the research process, from identifying research questions and obtaining ethical approval to data management, analysis, and manuscript writing.
Several lab members also get the opportunity to co-review manuscripts for top academic journals in psychology — an opportunity typically not available to undergraduate students. Additionally, students curate, write, and edit blog posts to share the lab’s and others’ research. These hands-on experiences equip members with a comprehensive skill set essential for many careers.
The Lifespan Cognition Lab also collaborates with researchers globally, including those in the United States, England, Germany, Israel, Australia, and New Zealand. These collaborations enhance the quality and impact of our work and provide students with unique learning opportunities from international researchers. Furthermore, our team shares knowledge by presenting research results at local and international conferences, having travelled as far as Nagoya, Japan!
A unique feature of the lab is our large-scale, longitudinal research studies. To answer some of our research questions, we often collect data from individuals over many years. Such research is made possible by generous funding from KPU, the Canada Research Chairs Program, and Tri-Council funding agencies. Our research also would not be possible without community members generously dedicating their time by participating in research studies.
Currently, we are launching a new three-year online study to learn how thinking develops over time and across the lifespan. To support this research, we are looking for individuals in the following age groups: 10 to 15, 40 to 45, and 65 to 70 years old.
We hope this work will help us better understand how and why thinking and memory changes as we age. The study is open to family members of existing participants, so please share this information with friends, siblings, parents, grandparents, or other relatives who meet our age criteria. Participants will receive a $20 Amazon gift card for completing the first part of the study, which takes 45 to 60 minutes. For each subsequent part of the study, this amount will increase by $5.
If you are interested in learning more about our work or participating in our studies, please visit the lab’s website at lifespancognition.com.
Sincerely,
The Lifespan Cognition Lab
