Emotions and Aging Lab, Psychology Department
University of Akron

Interpreting: Linda M. Laughlin Williams

WHAT?

Paid research study for young and older adults who are experts in American Sign Language: American Sign Language Expertise and Reading Facial Expressions of Emotion

WHO ARE WE?

The Emotions and Aging Lab in the Psychology Department at the University of Akron is looking for deaf and hearing adults who are experts in American Sign Language to participate in an important study on American Sign Language expertise and emotions. In our lab we study emotions and how people “read” the facial expressions of others.

WHY DO WE NEED YOUR HELP?

For this study, we are interested in how expertise in American Sign Language influences how people of different ages read facial expressions of emotion.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

Two Groups Can Participate:

• Deaf ASL Experts
  • Primary language is ASL
  • 18-30 years old
  • Severely to profoundly deaf with no cochlear implant

• Hearing ASL Experts
  • Fluent in ASL
  • 60-80 years old
  • Hearing

WHAT WILL YOU DO?

You will come to the Emotions and Aging Lab at the University of Akron. You will make judgments about pictures presented on a computer screen while your eye movements are tracked with a camera. You will also complete a vision test and a cognitive questionnaire and fill out a demographics form. This study takes 20 minutes to complete. For deaf participants, an ASL interpreter will be present during your experimental session.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATING?

You will be helping us understand more about how expertise with American Sign Language affects the process of reading facial expressions of emotion.

Free parking is provided and participants are paid $10 for participating.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT PARTICIPATING

• The study takes 20 minutes to complete
• The study is approved by The University of Akron Institutional Review Board and funded by a University of Akron Faculty Research Grant.
• You can come to the lab with a friend and we can schedule your sessions back-to-back.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Email the Emotions and Aging Lab at ealabs.ua@gmail.com
Call the Emotions and Aging Lab at 330-972-6564; if no one answers please leave a message and we will return your call.
Thank you!

Research Team
Jennifer Tehan Stanley, Ph.D.                                                                                 Jennifer Turner                                                                                                              Jamie McCartney, Ph.D.