Guidelines for Use of the Introductory Psychology Subject Pool

Introduction

Use of Introductory Psychology students for research is a privilege that is granted based on adherence to the guidelines in this document. Please follow the requirements on this page carefully. Failure to follow these requirements in the course of collecting data may result in forfeiture of the data or other action on the part of the School of Psychology.

Summary of Procedure for Using Students as Research Participants

1. Receive IRB approval
2. Complete online application to use subject pool
3. Receive approval and an experiment number
4. Your study is included in the list
5. Perform research and report participation/no shows
6. Debrief subjects

Summary of Procedure for Using Students in Assessment Batteries

1. Assessment instructor gives list of potential examinees to the assessment class student
2. Assessment student makes arrangement for testing
3. Perform assessment and report participation on credit slips (if student doesn't show for appointment, indicate negative credit on credit slip and give to instructor)
4. Explain the nature of the assessment instrument to the examinee without giving specific information about the examinee

How the Subject Pool Works

The Introductory Psychology Subject Pool is a system administered by the School of Psychology in order to facilitate departmental research and give students the opportunity to participate in one of several types of experiential class activities such as taking assessments and attending CAPS activities. Students are given credit based on how many activities they participate in and how much time these activities require (see schedule below). Access to the subject pool is restricted to faculty and students in the School of Psychology and is contingent on following these guidelines.

Allocation of participants. The availability of students to serve as research or assessment participants will vary from semester to semester, and in some semesters availability may be limited, particularly toward the end of the semester. Participants are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, and partial allocations may occur in some semesters.

IRB approval. Research performed in the Subject Pool must be approved by the IRB (Institutional Review Board) and approval details must be included in the application to use the Subject Pool. Because students' research participation is partly an educational experience, they must be debriefed. All students must provide informed consent.

Debriefing. In order to receive credit for participation, students must write a short description of their experience. Therefore, researchers must supply some information about the research to participants in the form of an immediate or delayed debriefing. The Subject Pool application must include a debriefing plan. For studies in which immediate debriefing is impossible or impractical, a debriefing handout must be submitted prior to receiving permission to use the subject pool. In all cases, debriefing must give subjects sufficient information to write a summary of the experience.

Credit for participation. Students receive credit for participation based on how much time they spend according to the following schedule.

Research studies

• 1 point for coming to the research session
• 1 additional point for each 30 minutes, or part thereof, of activity (if the participant arrives on time)
• Subjects who choose to discontinue an experiment per the instructions given in the Informed Consent form will be given the same number of points as students who continue.
• Loss of 4 points for not attending a scheduled session without contacting the researcher ahead of time

CAPS educational groups

• 1 point for coming to the group
• 1 additional point for each 30 minutes, or part thereof, of activity (if the participant arrives on time)
• Maximum of 3 points

PsyD assessment batteries

• 1 point for coming to the group
• 1 additional point for each 30 minutes, or part thereof, of activity (if the participant arrives on time)
• Maximum of 6 points
• Loss of 4 points for not attending a scheduled session without contacting the researcher ahead of time

Communicating Participation to Instructors

Research participation is reported on either a group administration form or through credit slips. The group form is used to report participation in group research projects such as administration of a survey instrument in a group setting or through a “take-home and bring back” method. It should also be used for participation in CAPS activities and programs. The credit slip is used when the participant is involved in lab research that is scheduled for a particular time and place, usually in a one-to-one meeting with the researcher. It should also be used for participation in assessment batteries and related one-to-one activities for which Introductory Psychology credit is given.

The Group Participation Form is a set of lists that you supply to the Intro Psych instructors. Use of this form requires you to determine in which section of Introductory Psychology the participant is enrolled. You must obtain this information from the participant.

In group administered research in which the number of participants present for a session is not critical, penalties for failing to appear are not given. In contrast, in group research in which a participant must be present at a particular time and place for the research to be conducted (e.g., certain kinds of group dynamics research), failure to appear will result in a penalty. This type of research should use credit slips rather than this group participation form.

Credit Slips

The credit slip system frees the researcher from the need to maintain lists of participants over the period during which the laboratory study is conducted and places responsibility on students to turn their credit slips into their instructors for credit.

Your signature is required on the credit slip as a secure way of reporting participation. The credit slips are turned into the instructor by the student. You must also keep the receipt portion of the slip until the following semester in case there is a dispute about credit.

If a students fails to appear for a research session, you should fill out the form and check “no show.”

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