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Updated: August 31 2009

Psychology Research Participant Pool:
An Overview

What is the Research Participant Pool?

The Research Participant Pool is simply a large group of undergraduate students who, because they are registered in eligible psychology courses, may elect to make themselves available for participation as research subjects in a given semester. All sections of the introductory courses (115/116) are eligible every term (by Departmental Council decision) and these students are permitted to earn up to three bonus marks by participating in research studies. Instructors for upper-level courses choose to make their courses eligible and may allow students to earn one, two, or three bonus marks through the Research Participant Pool.

In order to be in the Research Participant Pool, students in eligible courses must self-register themselves by accessing the following website:
http://uwindsor.sona-systems.com/
beginning at 9:00 a.m. the first day of classes each term and ending at 11:30pm on the last day of the course change period.

On the web-based form, students provide demographic and contact information and respond to a limited number of selection items that have been submitted by individual researchers for the purpose of identifying subsamples for research (e.g., “Would you describe yourself as a practicing vegetarian? Yes/No”; “Were you adopted into your immediate family? Yes/No”).

Researchers in the department may apply to have two or three "Yes-No" screeening questions included on the registration form on a term by term basis, provided their studies have been approved by the appropriate ethics review committee.

What are the advantages to the department of having the Participant Pool?

· The Psychology Research Participant Pool procedures and policies help to ensure that undergraduate research participants receive equitable treatment and compensation for participating in research.

· The Psychology Research Participant Pool helps to ensure equitable access to available undergraduate research participants by all researchers within the department (honours students, graduate students, and faculty).

· Use of the Psychology Research Participant Pool helps to enhance the quality of samples used in department-based research studies (e.g., minimizes subject self-selection biases, makes it easier to recruit participants who meet specific inclusion/exclusion criteria). This in turn enhances the value (and “publishablility”) of research produced in the department.

· The Research Participant Pool and MassTesting procedures help to foster a more robust research culture within the Department of Psychology. At the undergraduate level, students have earlier and hopefully more positive learning experiences related to research, both by hearing their instructors talk about research and research participation in a positive way, and through their participation as subjects in research studies over the course of their undergraduate careers.

· The Research Participant Pool facilitates timely completion of research projects in the department at least for those projects in which undergraduate students are appropriate subjects of study (almost all Honours students projects, the majority of M.A. thesis projects, at least half of dissertation projects, and significant numbers of faculty projects).

Who’s on the Research Participant Pool Committee (2009/2010)?

Coordinator: Other Committee Members:
What Does the Committee Do?

The committee meets regularly (usually once a month) throughout the year to administer the Research Participant Pool and to revise procedures as necessary. We are working step by step towards a mostly web-based system and will keep the department informed as new phases are implemented. Students and faculty are welcome to bring concerns to the committee with two weeks notice. Please notify the relevant chair/coordinator(s) if you would like to address the committee in person.

Who are the Participant Pool Assistants for 2009/2010?

Senior Participant Pool Assistant
Stephanie Fisico

The Psychology Research Participant Pool shares space with the Psychology Academic Advisor on the first floor of Chrysler Hall South (Chrysler Hall South, Room 166-1). The Participant Pool assistant will post office hours on the door in the first week of the term. You may also contact the Participant Pool Assistants by email (psycpool@uwindsor.ca)