Department of Psychology Department of Psychology 
My Experience in Switzerland
By: Adrianne Simpson
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The idea of studying abroad has always fascinated me and I studied French in high school and as an undergraduate in hopes of one day fulfilling that dream. With the rigorous course work and thesis preparation involved in the second year of the Master's Program in Psychology, the international experience seemed out of reach. At the Child Language and Emotion Laboratory data collection for my thesis was ongoing as I examined the relationship between the types of early language experiences provided in the home (or the home literacy environment) and children's language comprehension in the second year of life. As I waded through the relatively limited and sometimes inconsistent research on this topic, I found myself asking questions beyond the scope of my thesis. For example, would this relationship vary across languages? With the encouragement of Dr. Margaret Friend, my thesis chair, who was traveling to Geneva , Switzerland on sabbatical, I developed a proposal to extend my study of the home literacy environment to French language acquisition at the University of Geneva . The purpose of my trip was to develop measures that would allow me to compare infants acquiring Swiss-French to those acquiring American-English. With the acceptance of my proposal by Dr. Pascal Zesiger at the Psychologie du Developpement et des Troubles du Language and the College of Sciences Committee on International Studies, my aspiration of studying in Europe became a reality. |
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| Prior to my departure I investigated my academic roots for a project in Dr. Al Hillix's History of Psychology class. My discovery that my scholastic lineage could be traced back to Ernst von Glasersfeld, who had received his Scientific Matura from Zuoz University in Switzerland and privately studied psychology, philosophy, and logic only added to my enthusiasm. Furthermore, the father of developmental psychology, Jean Piaget, conducted some of his work at the Académie de Genève (also called the Institute de Jean-Jacques Rousseau) which still stands in the center of old Geneva . I couldn't wait to see where much of his pivotal research had been conducted. From the moment I arrived, I was awestruck by the beauty and hospitality of Switzerland , each day looking at my surroundings through the wide eyes of a child. One of the most amazing sights that I have ever seen occurred just days into my travel as I sat outside the Musée d'Histoire des Sciences: the sun glistening over Lake Geneva , snow-covered Mont-Blanc in the distance. Fate had dealt me a good hand that day as the museum was having a special exhibition on the history of psychology in Geneva with a special focus on Jean Piaget. Even with my limited French vocabulary I enjoyed watching a documentary devoted to his life and work. It was there that I began to realize that I had the rare opportunity to see first hand the intersection of science, history, and culture. |
| This theme recurred throughout the month I spent there. Walking down the streets of Geneva I was struck by the beautiful architecture, buildings that had withstood the test of time and numerous museums held within their walls: historic structures exhibiting anything and everything from the history of fashion and dance to the science of watch-making to exquisite works of art. Additionally, monuments to great thinkers, such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and scholars, such as Jean Piaget, can be found throughout the town to honor their work. An unmistakable theme even found within the home where I rented a room from a gifted and animated storyteller. At dinner, which often included his sons home from university, a German student of the music conservatory, and my mentor, he would recount stories of the visitors he had had the pleasure of meeting throughout his life, including scientists, military, and writers among others. Lively discussions in English, German, and French added to the warmth found around the table. It was here that I learned that “kaput,” a slang expression often used in English actually originates from standard German! |
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Surrounded by the beauty of Switzerland I was happy just walking to the laboratory every morning. My first exposure to the Swiss laboratory was a presentation that Dr. Friend made to the researchers, speech pathologists, and students who work together to assess language development. This forum was an excellent introduction to the scientific discourse that occurs when scientists and clinicians are housed together in a common laboratory setting, a dynamic not typical at other institutions. It is enlightening to hear the pathologists' view on the clinical applicability of research, whether encouraging or skeptical as this dialogue encourages the growth of pertinent scientific advancement. Another benefit of viewing the lab was the ability to see the methods used to examine early receptive language in our laboratory at San Diego State in a different setting. For example, the Computerized Comprehension Task (or CCT), a method to assess word comprehension in infancy that was developed in our laboratory, is utilized in Switzerland as well. The design of the testing room, including advanced recording equipment and coding capabilities and the incorporation of procedures from our laboratory was quite amazing to see. In order to compare infants acquiring Swiss-French with infants acquiring American-English, as I had proposed, I began the task of translating the two parent report measures currently being used in our lab. One questionnaire was fairly easy to translate with the use of online translation programs and the help of Lucie, a graduate student bilingual in French and English. The other, however, was quite difficult requiring an adaptation to the literacy practices in French-speaking Switzerland . The Children's Title Checklist consists of titles of popular children's books, as well as a set of foils or made-up titles. As books vary across cultures and languages, a new checklist was required which would reflect children's books popular in the Swiss culture. I researched children's literature online in search of books with multiple printings. While only 36 titles were needed, I composed a list of over 70 books before heading to local bookstores. There I was fortunate to find a staff member with a degree in children's literature that was immeasurably helpful! She worked with me to compose a culturally-appropriate list of children's books. To complete the checklist, Lucie and I enjoyed inventing titles to include as foils. Aside from the professional benefits, it was at the lab that I made friends that I will cherish for a lifetime. The students welcomed me from the first day that I arrived, often inviting me to join them for lunch or to attend invited lectures at the University. They even helped with my souvenir shopping, suggesting stores and gifts sure to please my loved ones in California ! Dr. Zesiger, though immensely busy with his own research, made time to help me through my project. He also brought us (myself, my mentor, and fellow research assistants) to have lunch and discuss our work atop the beautiful Jura Mountains in France. I look forward to our continued association and am currently in the process of developing multiple abstract submissions for conferences based on our work together. Throughout my stay I was struck by the warmth of the Swiss people. From the students to the faculty to community members, I could not have completed my proposed work without their support. I also wish to extend my sincerest gratitude to the College of Sciences, whose scholarship supported my travel, to Dr. Al Hillix, whose encouragement helped me to embrace and explore my academic history, and finally to Dr. Margaret Friend, without whom this trip would not have been possible. |
