A. Option 1: Experimental Participation (Sign-up for the human subject pool.)
- This method requires you to participate in several experiments for a total of eight Research Participation Units (RPUs) (Five points required for Summer session). Each experiment will provide a specific number of RPUs, allocated in half-hour units, which will be indicated in the experiment’s description. You may choose to participate in any number of experiments, provided that you obtain a total of five RPUs.
- You will need to register yourself by going to the main Human Subject Pool System page and clicking on "Request an Account". Make sure that you carefully enter your correct email address and select the correct course, instructor, and days/period for which you are registered. If you don't specify this information correctly, there may be subsequent problems with getting your RPUs assigned to you. You will receive a 6-digit ID number when you first sign in to your account. This number will ensure your anonymity when you participate in research. Make sure you have this number available when you attend experiments or complete online surveys as it is how your credit will be assigned. If you provide an incorrect number to your researcher you may not receive credit for your participation. When you receive an email reminder prior to an appointment, the 6-digit ID number will appear in the message. As in the past, all students not wishing to participate in research have the option of writing a paper instead, but we strongly encourage experiment participation instead.
- It will be your responsibility to maintain a list of all experiments in which you have participated. RPUs will be given via an online database by the experimenters and will be forwarded to your instructor prior to the final exam. Grade adjustment, penalties for non-participation, missed appointments, etc., will be evaluated by instructors when final grades are computed. You can check your RPUs on your personal page. Do not worry if credit is not assigned until the last week of the semester. Then contact the researcher and, if no response, contact the administrator (e-mail at registration homepage).
- Print out or write down the information provided on the registration confirmation page. The sign-up information will be removed from the web page at some point and the Psychology Department does not have the pertinent information.
- It is your obligation to show up for the experiment on time. If you find that you cannot attend the experiment at the specified time, follow the instructions under My Schedule and Credits (on your Welcome page). Usually, you must contact the experimenter prior to the experimental session. To contact the experimenter, use the e-mail provided in the experiment’s description.
- Any complaints about an experiment or experimenter (for example, failure of the experimenter to show up for an experiment) should be sent to the researcher’s e-mail provided at the experiment’s description. If you do not get a response, then and only then contact the administrator whose email is provided on the registration home page.
- Participation in an experiment should be an educational experience. Therefore, after you participate in an experiment, the experimenter should provide you with information about the experiment and give you an opportunity to ask questions. You should be aware that when you agree to participate in an experiment, you retain all of your rights and you may withdraw from the experiment at any time without penalty.
B. Option 2: Psychology in the News
Assignment Overview
Your task is to explore how psychological research is presented in the media. You’ll read and compare two very different kinds of articles. One is a news article reporting on a recent piece of psychological research. The second is the original journal article written by the researchers and that the news article was based on.
Instructions: RPU_Option_2_Assignment_Instructions_.docx
Psychology in the News Topics and Articles RPU_Option_2_Assignment_Topic_and_Articles_List.docx