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.
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
Selected Publications
Barr, R. F., Kirkorian, H. L., Radesky, J., Coyne, S., Nichols, D., Blanchfield, O., et al. (2020). Beyond screen time: A synergistic approach to a more comprehensive assessment of family media exposure. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1283. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01283
Kirkorian, H. L., Choi, K., & Anderson, D. R. (2019). American parents’ active involvement mediates the impact of background television on young children’s toy play. Journal of Children and Media, 19, 377-394. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482798.2019.1635033
Kirkorian, H. L., & Anderson, D. R. (2018). Effect of sequential video shot comprehensibility on attentional synchrony: A comparison of children and adults. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115, 9867-9874. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1611606114
Kirkorian, H. L. (2018). When and how do interactive digital media help children connect what they see on and off the screen? Child Development Perspectives, 12, 210-214. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12290
Kirkorian, H. L., Choi, K., & Pempek, T. A. (2016). Toddlers’ word learning from contingent and noncontingent video on touchscreens. Child Development, 87, 405-413. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12508

Department
- Human Development & Family Studies
Degree Program
- PhD Human Ecology: Human Development and Family Studies
Affiliations
- Child Development Lab
- Psychology Department
- Educational Psychology Department
- McPherson Eye Research Institute
- Institute of Digital Media and Child Development
Education
- PhD and MS, Developmental Psychology, University of Massachusetts at Amherst
- BA, Psychology, University of New Hampshire at Durham
Contact
Office: 4105 Nancy Nicholas Hall
Phone: 608-263-4020
Email: kirkorian@wisc.edu
Websites:
Social media: