The Carlson Child Development Lab is located at the Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and is under the direction of Dr. Stephanie Carlson.  It is part of the Developmental Social Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, which is co-directed by Dr. Carlson and Dr. Philip Zelazo.  Our research examines young children's cognitive development, focusing on executive function (related to self-control), pretend play, language, and theory of mind (related to perspective taking).  We design and test measures of these skills and assess their co-development in children ages 2-5.  Our lab utilizes behavioral, neuroimaging, and cross-cultural methods. 

See our article in the College of Education and Human Development's Connect Magazine!