The medium is not the message… the message is the message!
–Anderson and colleagues (2001)
My research interests lie at the intersection of cognitive development, media effects, and family studies. I am Director of the Cognitive Development and Media Lab, where my students and I study the impact of screen media on attention, learning, and play in infants and young children. We use behavioral, observational, and psychophysiological research methods to examine moment-to-moment changes in children’s responses to media. We also consider how research can inform the design of educationally valuable media and empower parents to use these media effectively with young children. View my TEDx talk on interactive media and young children.
Education
PhD, Developmental Psychology, University of Massachusetts at Amherst
MS, Developmental Psychology, University of Massachusetts at Amherst
BA, Psychology, University of New Hampshire at Durham
Affiliations
UW–Madison Department of Psychology
UW–Madison Department of Educational Psychology
Center for Child and Family Wellbeing
McPherson Eye Research Institute
Institute of Digital Media and Child Development
Recent press
Learning doesn’t stop when schools close, Wisconsin State Journal, March 29, 2020
The rise of location trackers for kids as young as 3, New York Times, March 5, 2020
Why does children’s TV seem so ridiculous and addictive?, The Independent, December 30, 2019
YouTube tweaked algorithm to appease FTC but creators are worried, Bloomberg, August 8, 2019
External media
Kirkorian Lab website
Twitter: @hkirkorian