For Participants - Frequently Asked Questions

Topics

What are the qualifications for participation?

All participants for all studies must be 18 years of age or older. Some studies may require specific qualifications depending on the nature of the study. If so, these requirements will be included in the description of the project that accompanies the sign-up page in SONA systems.

Is there a difference between being a “Course Credit” Participant an a “Paid” Participant?

Yes. A “course credit” participant is someone who needs to participate in an Anderson Behavioral lab study as a requirement for one of their classes. A “paid” participant is someone who joins Anderson’s Paid Participant Pool to participate in lab studies that offer participants special compensation. Studies are typically restricted to either course credit or paid participants so be sure to read the study description in SONA before you sign up for the study.

What are my rights?

All Anderson Behavioral studies are approved by the UNM Institutional Review Board (IRB) (irb.unm.edu) to ensure the safety, rights and dignity of individuals involved in human research. All prospective participants are provided a consent form to review prior to participation that outlines the tasks and procedures involved in the study. You may elect not to participate after reviewing this form without penalty of any kind. You may also elect to withdraw from a study at any time without penalty.

If you would like to no longer receive study invitation emails and/or delete your account, you may do so through your SONA account or please email asmbehavior@unm.edu. .

Are my responses confidential?

All data collected are kept strictly confidential, to the extent permitted by law. The only persons with access to data are those directly associated with the experiment. Data are typically kept in locked files in locked lab rooms.

Will my responses be used for profit?

Absolutely not. The purpose of research conducted in the Behavioral Lab is to contribute to a greater scientific understanding of the field of management and its various disciplinary areas.

What will happen in my lab session?

Participants in the Behavioral Research Lab partake in many types of studies. In one study, you may participate in a mock interview. Another study might pair you up with a partner and ask you to negotiate over a hypothetical business deal. You might be asked to answer survey questions about how much you would pay for real consumer products. Another may put you in front of an eye tracker and have you read over product descriptions. There’s no limit to the variety of studies conducted in the Behavioral Research Lab!

I am enrolled in both MGMT 322 and MGMT 306. Do I have to complete the research participation twice?

Yes, you must complete two research participation credits for each class with a research requirement. This means that you should complete four credits in total (two MGMT322 sessions and two MGMT306 sessions) to satisfy the requirements of both classes.

Do I need to inform my course instructor of my participation?

No, you do not need to inform your instructor. The research team will send a report to your instructor with the names of the students who have completed the research requirement before the end of the semester.

What if I need accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to participate in the Research Participation Program?

If you need special accommodations in order to participate in the Research Participation Program, please contact asmbehavior@unm.edu to schedule an appointment to discuss your needs.

SONA Login

I can’t find a link to SONA Systems. Where do I go?

There are two different links to access SONA accounts, one for course credit participants and one for Paid Participant volunteers.
  1. If you are enrolled in a course requiring research participation for course credits, you can access SONA systems at https://unm-anderson.sona-systems.com/. We suggest you bookmark the page.

    After you click on the link to SONA, sign-in to your account using the UNM NetID Log In button.
     
  2. If you want to volunteer to enroll in the Paid Participant research program to receive special compensation instead of course credits, you can self-enroll by going to https://unm-anderson-paid.sona-systems.com/ We suggest you bookmark the page.

    After you click on the link to SONA, sign-in to your account by entering your username and password. If you forgot your password, please email us at asmbehavior@unm.edu.

Immediately after I login, I am taken back to the login page with a message that my authentication has expired. What does this mean?

Your web browser is not properly configured to accept cookies. You should turn on cookies in your web browser, use a different web browser (for example, try Firefox if you are currently using Internet Explorer), or try a different computer. You can find detailed instructions if you go to the front page of the SONA site and enter the URL “cookie_help.aspx” in place of “default.aspx” in the address bar of the browser. You can also try to use another computer. Usually the computers in university computer labs are configured correctly.

How do I change the email address where email notifications from the system are sent?

Click “My Profile” on the menu at the top of the page. You will then see the option to enter an alternate email address. Click “Update” at the bottom of the page when you finish.

Lab Session Sign-Up

How do I register for a lab session?

You can register for a lab session by logging into SONA and choosing the “Studies” option from the top toolbar, or the green button labeled "View Available Studies". Then click the “Timeslots Available” option next to the study for which you wish to register. The site will direct you to a “Study Information” page. Click the link at the bottom of page, “View Timeslots for This Study". You can then click the “Sign Up” button next to the timeslot that you want.

How will I know when a new study becomes available?

You will receive an email notification from the Anderson Behavioral Lab when a new study becomes available.

I can sign up for some studies again even if I participated before, while others don’t allow me to do so. Why is this?

Not all studies allow you to participate more than once. Researchers can choose whether their studies allow you to participate more than once.

I was prevented from signing up for a study because the study I was trying to sign up for is a disqualifier for another study in which I am scheduled to participate. Why is this?

Disqualifiers are studies in which you must not have participated to be able to participate in certain other studies. If you have signed up for a study that has disqualifiers, you may not then sign up for the studies that are listed as the disqualifier studies. You are allowed to sign up for the disqualifier studies if they will take place after the study with disqualifiers, or if you have already participated in (and received credit for) the study with disqualifiers. The easiest way to sign up for both studies is to schedule the disqualifier study at a time later than the study with disqualifiers.

How do I cancel or reschedule my session?

You can cancel your session on SONA Systems up to one minute in advance of the session. Click the “My Schedule/Credits” option from the top toolbar. You will see the study that you have signed up for. Click “Cancel” and then "Yes, I want to cancel" on the following page to cancel your sign-up immediately. You can sign up for another session with any open timeslots.

Arrival for Sessions

Where is the Anderson Behavioral Lab?

The lab is located in the McKinnon Center for Management (MCM) on the fourth floor in room 4010. Enter the main doors, check-in with the Research Assistant (RA), and seat yourself in the lobby. At your scheduled session time, an RA will escort you to your study session.

View a map to the Behavioral Lab in the Anderson McKinnon Center for Management (MCM).

When should I arrive for my study session?

It is crucial that you arrive at least 5 minutes early for your lab session. If you miss or arrive late to two sessions, you will be ineligible to sign up for more studies. If you need to cancel or reschedule, you may do this yourself via the SONA Systems website at least one minute in advance of your session. If you have an emergency that causes you to miss your session and you were unable to cancel, please e-mail us at asmbehavior@unm.edu.

Privacy & Confidentiality

Who can see the information about my sign-ups? I don’t want everyone to know which studies I signed up for.

The researcher, principal investigator, and subject pool administrator of the study may see that you have signed up for a study. No other users, including other researchers or your instructor, may see this information.

What happens to my individual data? Can you identify me through this data?

All data collected are kept strictly confidential, to the extent permitted by law. The only persons with access to data are those directly associated with the experiment. Data are typically kept in locked files in locked lab rooms. Because no personally identifying information is collected from you during the session, it will not be possible to ever match your responses to you as an individual.



Additional Questions? Please contact asmbehavior@unm.edu with any questions not addressed in this FAQ.