Paid Participants

Joining the Anderson Behavioral Lab Paid Participant Pool is a great way to contribute to academic research and get a chance to earn extra credit, cash, or gift certificates while doing so!

Participants in the Behavioral Research Lab take part 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 complete a puzzle or negotiate a business deal. You might be asked to indicate your opinions or judgements about various things, or how much you would pay for a product. 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!

Who is eligible to sign-up for the Paid Participant Pool?

If you are age 18 or older, you may join the Anderson Behavioral Lab Paid Participant Pool. To sign up for the Paid Participant Pool, go to https://unm-anderson-paid.sona-systems.com/

Follow the instructions to create your User ID. Leave the “course” field blank and request account.
Make sure to configure your email system to accept emails from sona-systems.com.

Soon after you sign up for the Paid Participant Pool, you will receive an email from SONA Systems that contains
your User ID and temporary passcode. You can change your passcode by going to “My Profile” on the left side of the menu bar (at the top of the home screen). From the home page, you will be able to see a list of available studies, view detailed descriptions of studies, and register for studies that interest you. It is up to you to participate in any study. Becoming a member of the participant pool does not in any way obligate you to participate in a study; it just means that you will be emailed when studies for compensation become available.

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.

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.

If you cannot make your session, please cancel, or contact the lab and we will cancel or reschedule it for you. Failure to cancel or contact the lab ahead of time will result in an unexcused “no show” for your attendance. If you continuously have unexcused absences without notices, the lab may forfeit your right to attend studies.

Where is the Anderson Behavioral Lab?

The lab is located on the fourth floor of the McKinnon Center for Management (MCM) in room 4010. Please arrive a few minutes early for your session and wait outside the lab door or in the lobby. At your scheduled session time, a research assistant will escort you to your study session.

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

Compensation

Compensation depends on the type and length of the study. The compensation scheme is provided in the detailed description of the study. For studies that pay gift cards, you will receive your gift card via email. If you have not received your gift card within 7 business days following your session, contact the lab at asmbehavior@unm.edu.

Some studies may require participants to complete a signed verification of receipt of payment.

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.