152 - Laura Schulz: The journey of becoming a cognitive scientist and what babies and children have taught us about their cognition (REAIR) | Stanford Psychology Podcast | Podwise
This episode explores Dr. Laura Schulz's journey into cognitive science and her research on early childhood cognition, particularly how children learn and reason. Schulz recounts her non-linear path from philosophy to cognitive science, highlighting her early interest in children and experiences in education that shaped her experimental design approach. Against the backdrop of her work with Dr. Alison Gopnik, Schulz discusses the revolutionary idea of children's causal reasoning abilities and the influence of computational work on causality. More significantly, the conversation pivots to surprising discoveries about children's cognition, such as their search for unobserved causes and sensitivity to abstract functions. As the discussion evolves, Schulz shares insights into bridging the gap between research and real-world application, emphasizing the importance of policy changes and support for caregivers. The episode concludes with a discussion of Lookit, an open science online platform for developmental research, and its potential to foster collaboration and data sharing across institutions, reflecting a vision for a more accessible and collaborative future for the field.
