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Queen's University + STEM Camp

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Research is critical to our understanding of ourselves, the world around us and so much more!  STEM Camp is pleased to partner with the Eye Movement Lab at Queen’s University, to support them in their work by letting our community know about how they can participate.  

About the Queen's Eye Movement Lab

The Queen’s Eye Movement lab is interested in understanding how the brain works through eye movements. Through behavioural and functional brain imaging experiments, they study eye movement behaviour in control subjects across the lifespan, as well as in a wide variety of neurological and psychiatric patient groups. From this, researchers learn what brain areas are involved in the control of eye movements and other eye behaviours. 

About the Study

In this study, the Eye Movement Lab is looking at eye movements and social cognition. Social cognition is another way of saying how we feel, think and act when we’re around other people. The study uses computer tasks where participants’ eyes are tracked to understand the relationships between how their eyes move, their social cognition and their mental health. 

Who Can Participate, Benefits, and What's Involved

For this study, the Eye Movement Lab is looking for males and females aged 12-19, who are able to come to Kingston General Hospital for a research session.  In addition, participants:

  • Should have no past or present psychiatric (e.g., ADHD, anxiety, depression) or neurologic (epilepsy) diagnoses
  • Should not be taking any psychotropic medications (e.g., Concerta, Prozac)
  • Have not participated in any of our studies before 
If interested, first, participants will have a 15-30 minute screening call with researchers to answer questions about their mental health. Then, participants complete some online questionnaires before the in-person session. Finally, the in-person session lasts approximately 2 hours at Kingston General Hospital, where participants simply sit in a chair and rest their head in a headrest (like at the optometrist’s office), while a little camera records their eye movements as they watch some dots and videos on a computer screen in a dark room.  

Participants that complete the study receive a $50 gift card to Indigo or Amazon. In addition, participants have the opportunity to see their eyes up close while getting exposure to how a real-life research study is conducted!  

How to Participate

If you are interested in participating, please email [email protected].  For more information about the Queen’s University Eye Movement Lab, visit their website.