Studies

Click a study title for details, and registration when applicable.

18 and over Other age restriction Native English speaker Non-native English speaker Male Female Right-handed Left-handed Normal (or corrected) vision Normal hearing Other

Title	Format	Open seats	Maximum time commitment (minutes)*	Maximum REP Points	Cash Award	Contact	Requirements	Description
* Some studies may involve participation over multiple sessions, including screening etc. Not all participants will qualify for all sessions.
Sustained Visual Attention	Live (in-person or remote)	1	45	3	$15	"Mikayla Krech" <krech036@umn.edu>	1, 2, 9, 11	This is an in-person study in Elliott Hall, Room S502. You will watch a stream of images (natural scenes or faces) and press a button every time you see a target (scene or face). Your participation should take approximately 45 minutes to complete (including some short breaks). 3 REP points or $15 will be awarded. If you have questions, feel free to contact me (Mikayla Krech) at krech036@umn.edu. Please be sure to check the eligibility requirements before signing up. Also, if you would like to participate in this study but are unavailable during the given time slots, please email me to schedule another time.
Multiple Goals: The effect of complex decisions on decision quality	Self-guided (online)	483	30	1	$0	"Michael Hazboun" <hazbo002@umn.edu>	1	This project will examine decision quality and consistency of decision aid use when a hiring decision is made in pursuit of multiple job criteria, versus a single criterion - for example, hiring people to both maximize Organizational Citizenship Behaviors (OCBs) and minimize Counterproductive Work Behaviors (CWBs), versus hiring to maximize OCBs alone. There has been very little research addressing situations where a hiring decision requires the pursuit of multiple criteria at once, particularly with predictors that correlate differently with each criterion (e.g., some personality variables are strongly associated with OCBs but not CWBs or vice versa, and a weighting scheme that optimally combines predictors in pursuit of one criterion would be notably suboptimal for the other). This project will shine a light on how having multiple decision criteria will result in differences in decision aid use and decision quality.
Socializing with Close Others Study	Live (in-person or remote)	Log in to contact study team	60	6	$30	"Grace Vieth" <vieth017@umn.edu>	1	Participants will come to the lab for two, short, and lighthearted interactions with their friend and romantic partner. Lab visits only take 15 minutes! Participants must be willing to come to 2 separate lab events (1-3 weeks apart), once with a romantic partner and once with a close friend. Both lab visit takes place on the Twin Cities campus and will take no more than 30 minutes to complete. You, your romantic partner, & one of your close friends are eligible to participate if: You are all 18 or older, speak fluent English, you and your romantic partner have been dating for over 6 months and you and your friend have been friends for over 6 months. Payment: $15 (or 3 REP points) per lab visit for each person participating. Interested in participating? For more information, contact: vieth017@umn.edu
The Role of Attention in Parsing Information Flow	Live (in-person or remote)	0	60	3	$0	"Emily Willoughby" <willo074@umn.edu>	3, 9, 1	The purpose of this study is to better understand the relationship of simple decision-making, sensory perception, and reaction time, and the roles of these basic components in more complex cognitive processes. You will be asked to perform a series of simple cognitive tasks on the computer in front of you using the keyboard. Cognitive tasks may involve attention, working memory, decision-making, and reaction time. Your participation should take no more than 45 minutes to complete (including some short breaks). The study consists of three separate tasks, each of which will be fully explained at the beginning of each section.
Visual Search Task: Find the Animal (Native Chinese Speakers)	Live (in-person or remote)	4	60	3	$15	"Mikayla Krech" <krech036@umn.edu>	1, 2, 4, 9, 11	This is an in-person study in Elliott Hall, Room S502. You will search for an animal character presented among other characters and press a button when you find the target. Your participation should take approximately 60 minutes to complete. 3 REP points or $15 will be awarded. If the session takes longer than 60 minutes, an additional REP point or $5 will be awarded. If you have questions, feel free to contact me (Mikayla Krech) at krech036@umn.edu. Please be sure to check the eligibility requirements before signing up. Also, if you would like to participate in this study but are unavailable during the given time slots, please email me to schedule another time.
Decision-making under uncertainty	Self-guided (online)	0	60	2	$0	"Evan Knep" <knepx001@umn.edu>	1, 9	Are you an individual with normal or corrected to normal vision between the ages of 18-80? We are conducting a computer-based research study to investigate how people make decisions under uncertainty.
Visual Search: Cloudy with a Chance of T's	Live (in-person or remote)	2	45	3	$0	"Samantha Walker" <walk1450@umn.edu>	1, 2, 9, 11	This is an in-person study in Elliott Hall, Room S504. You will search a cloudy display and press a button every time you see a target letter T. Your participation should take approximately 45 minutes to complete (including some short breaks). 3 REP points will be awarded. If you have questions, feel free to contact me (Samantha Walker) at walk1450@umn.edu. Please be sure to check the eligibility requirements before signing up. Also, if you would like to participate in this study but are unavailable during the given time slots, please email me to schedule another time.
Temporal pattern discrimination in sounds	Live (in-person or remote)	Log in to contact study team	360	5	$0	"Charlotte Yan Ming Lee" <lee04017@umn.edu>	1, 10, 11, 11	In this study, we compare the ability of older and younger adults to discriminate temporal patterns in sounds. Participants will listen via headphones to sounds and select a sound that differed from two other sounds presented in each trial. The ability to focus on the task is crucial. You will need to complete at least 2-3 sessions (only 1 can be assigned REP points and we will pay cash for the other sessions). We run the experiments in two-hour sessions. They can be spread in time and scheduled at your convenience (given the availability of the sound booth). The sounds are presented at comfortable loudness so there are no risks associated with the study.
Causal Inference & Tetris	Live (in-person or remote)	Log in to contact study team	140	0	$60	"Brady Chisholm" <chish071@umn.edu>	1	We’re running a new fun, interactive study that explores how rewards influence attention and decision-making using the classic video game Tetris. To help you decide if you would like to participate, here is some information about the study: Task: Play Tetris and view stimuli related to the game of Tetris. Experience is not required at all Duration: One 2 hour long session Location: Elliott Hall at the University of Minnesota Twin-Cities (free parking available) Compensation: $60 preloaded Mastercard While you play Tetris, we will collect EEG (electroencephalography) and pupillometry data to help us understand what the brain is doing during the task. These methods are completely non-invasive; EEG simply requires a water soluble gel on your scalp for reading clear signals. If you’d like, you can rinse out your hair before you leave, there is a shower in the Elliott Hall bathroom with towels and shampoo available. Reach out to me at chish071@umn.edu if you're interested in participating!
**Students under 18 years of age** - College Well-Being & Thinking Study	Live (in-person or remote) and self-guided (online)	11	305	15	$0	"Wilma Koutstaal" <kouts003@umn.edu>	2	College can be both a stressful and exciting time and we are interested in better understanding how students think, feel, and act during this unique period of life. This research study aims to better understand how students change during the college years, and how students concurrently enrolled in high school or early college students may be different from full time college students. Participating in the study would involve up to 4 sessions (3 questionnaires and a Zoom-based session), scheduled during this academic term, as follows: Time-1 Questionnaire (3 REP points): a 90-minute questionnaire that you can complete online on your own, with questions about your classes, your social and emotional well-being, and your ways of coping with stress or anxiety. Availability: If you wish to also respond to the later questionnaires, the Time-1 Questionnaire must be completed no later than Week 6. Zoom-based Session (6 REP points, 3 points for your time plus 3 meeting points): a 75-minute Zoom-based session that you will complete with a researcher at an agreed-upon time. In this session, you will engage in a variety of cognitive tasks, such as generating words that end with specific letters, or deciding what "comes next" in a series. Availability: The Zoom-based session should be scheduled 1-2 weeks after you complete the Time-1 Questionnaire and a researcher will email you to schedule the session. Please note that you are not eligible for this part of the study if you have previously completed the researcher-led Zoom-based session. Time-2 Questionnaire (3 REP points): a 70-minute questionnaire that you can complete online on your own, with questions like those in the Time-1 Questionnaire. Availability: If you have completed the first questionnaire, you will be emailed an invitation to complete this Questionnaire in Week 8. Time-3 Questionnaire (3 REP points): a 70-minute questionnaire that you can complete online on your own, with questions like those in the Time-2 Questionnaire. Availability: If you have completed the first two questionnaires, you will be emailed an invitation to complete this Questionnaire in Week 12. Because you are under 18 years of age, you will first need to obtain Consent to take part in this research study from one of your parents or a guardian. You can choose which parent or guardian you ask to give their consent. If they agree, we will also ask your parent or guardian to answer some questions about you, such as how you learned about early college opportunities and how they advise or support you in your choices. When you sign up for a seat we will provide a link for the Parental Consent Form and Survey. Once we receive the completed Consent Form, we will email you the Assent Form and the Time-1 Questionnaire.
Predictive coding in visual perception (behavior only)	Live (in-person or remote)	3	60	4	$0	"Cheryl Olman" <caolman@umn.edu>	1, 9	Our brains generate a lot of our visual experiences -- this study aims to understand more about that process. The tasks we do involve looking at simple patterns on the screen and pressing buttons to indicate whether you detected a pattern or noticed a difference between different textures or objects. Responses let us quantify how the brain uses incoming visual information vs. past experience vs. scene context to detect and identify objects.
Word and Letter Recognition Task - IN PERSON ONLY	Live (in-person or remote)	Log in to contact study team	240	9	$80	"Arda Fidanci" <fidan005@umn.edu>	1, 3, 9, 11, 11	In this study, participants will view words and letters on a computer screen. The stimuli may be presented in different locations of the visual field depending on where the participant is looking. We ask that participants have normal or corrected-to-normal vision, be native English speakers, and not wear any eye makeup. The experiment is two sessions lasting up to two hours per session and participants will be compensated with either a prepaid debit card with $80.00 or PsyRep credit. Once a participant is enrolled in a seat for the study, the researcher will contact with them to schedule the seat of second session. There are not any direct benefits or costs to participants. The experiment is in-person only and is located in Engel Vision & Imaging Laboratory (https://engellab.psych.umn.edu/). The location is in secured areas of the basement of Elliott Hall, and cell phone reception may be limited.
Experiment on Social Situations	Self-guided (online)	224	30	1	$0	"Hyunsuk Lee" <lee01960@umn.edu>	1	Thank you for your interest in our research. In this study, we are examining people’s reactions to hypothetical situations similar to what they may encounter in their daily lives. The purpose of this study is to understand how people respond when they have committed wrongdoing that harms or inconveniences a friend. If you would like to participate in the study, you can click the link and start the experiment. For completion of the study, you will receive one point. The entire process of survey will take about 12 minutes. This research is being conducted by Professor Marti Hope Gonzales and Mr. Hyun-suk Lee of the Department of Psychology at the University of Minnesota and Professor Pierce Ekstrom at the University of Nebraska. If you'd like to participate in this study, please use this link. https://umn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8iji8CaXmp6Djdc
Personal Reflections on COVID-19 and Politics	Live (in-person or remote)	9	30	2	$0	"Emily Saks" <saks0011@umn.edu>	1, 3, 4, 11	We are interested in studying how people form political opinions. We want to hear from you! This survey should only take around 10-15 minutes, and no longer than 30 minutes to complete and you will be required to provide a brief written narrative of reflection about your views on COVID-19. You will be asked to come to campus and take the online survey on your laptop (IN PERSON). This study is being conducted by researchers at the University of Minnesota and is open to English-speaking U.S. residents aged 18 and older. We hope to hear from people of all different backgrounds. You will be able to receive 2 REP points for participating. You may withdraw your participation at any time. Please contact us before signing if you do not have a laptop, so we can make sure to have one available for you. New seats will be released each week, but if no times work for you, feel free to email us to schedule a time. You may only receive credit once.
College Well-Being & Thinking Study (students 18 years old and older)	Live (in-person or remote) and self-guided (online)	5	305	15	$0	"Wilma Koutstaal" <kouts003@umn.edu>	1	College can be both a stressful and exciting time and we are interested in better understanding how students think, feel, and act during this unique period of life. This research study aims to better understand how students change during the college years, and how students concurrently enrolled in high school or early college students may be different from full time college students. Participating in the study would involve up to 4 sessions (3 questionnaires and a Zoom-based session), scheduled during this academic term, as follows: Time-1 Questionnaire (3 REP points): a 90-minute questionnaire that you can complete online on your own, with questions about your classes, your social and emotional well-being, and your ways of coping with stress or anxiety. Availability: If you wish to also respond to the later questionnaires, the Time-1 Questionnaire must be completed no later than Week 6. Zoom-based Session (6 REP points, 3 points for your time plus 3 meeting points): a 75-minute Zoom-based session that you will complete with a researcher at an agreed-upon time. In this session, you will engage in a variety of cognitive tasks, such as generating words that end with specific letters, or deciding what "comes next" in a series. Availability: The Zoom-based session should be scheduled 1-2 weeks after you complete the Time-1 Questionnaire and a researcher will email you to schedule the session. Please note that you are not eligible for this part of the study if you have previously completed the researcher-led Zoom-based session. Time-2 Questionnaire (3 REP points): a 70-minute questionnaire that you can complete online on your own, with questions like those in the Time-1 Questionnaire. Availability: If you have completed the first questionnaire, you will be emailed an invitation to complete this Questionnaire in Week 8. Time-3 Questionnaire (3 REP points): a 70-minute questionnaire that you can complete online on your own, with questions like those in the Time-2 Questionnaire. Availability: If you have completed the first two questionnaires, you will be emailed an invitation to complete this Questionnaire in Week 12. If you are interested in taking part in this study, please set aside 90 minutes, in a quiet place, to complete the Time-1 Questionnaire. Once we receive the completed Consent Form and completed questionnaire from Time-1, we will email you with instructions on how to schedule the researcher-led Zoom-based meeting.
Visual Attention - Find the Target!	Live (in-person or remote)	0	60	3	$15	"Emma Holtz" <holtz257@umn.edu>	1, 2, 9, 11, 11	This is an in-person study in Elliott Hall, Room S506. You will search for a target letter (such as the letter T) presented among other letters and press a button when you find the target. You will have limited vision around the mouse cursor, so you will have to actively search with your mouse to reveal the display items. There will be several hundred "trials," but you can take breaks. The task takes about 45 minutes to complete. 3 REP points or $15 will be awarded. Please be sure to check the eligibility requirements before signing up.
Ethnic-Racial Identity and Helping Behavior Study	Live (in-person or remote)	1	30	2	$7	"Lisette Horne" <horne146@umn.edu>	1	In this University of Minnesota research study, we are interested in ethnic-racial identity and your helping behavior. You will be asked to respond to demographic information, report on your ethnic-racial identity, and respond to two prompts about your helping behavior in a 15–30-minute Zoom interview. This will be conducted entirely online/over Zoom. In order to be eligible to participate in the study, you must be over the age of 18 and speak fluent English. You will be compensated with either 2 REP points OR a gift card worth $7.50.
Reward sensitivity, motivation and risk taking behaviors in healthy young adults	Live (in-person or remote)	Log in to contact study team	210	7	$0	mllab@umn.edu	1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 11	The purpose of this observational study is to quantify associations among measures of reward sensitivity, motivation and self-reported risk-taking in a healthy sample of college students, ages 18-22. We aim to study 200 people. You will complete a phone screening and will then make one visit to our laboratory. During this visit, you will complete health history questionnaires, personality questionnaires, and a number of computerized tests of memory, reward processing, and decision-making. Participants will receive 6 REP points in return for their full participation. Please see inclusion criteria below. Email mllab@umn.edu for more information.

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