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Atkinson Behavioral Research Lab

The Atkinson Behavioral Research Lab is a Cornerstone of Innovation at the Rady School

We are at the forefront of behavioral research in San Diego, offering a center for work on how individuals form judgments and make decisions in business contexts. With a participant pool of over 2,000 undergraduates each quarter, we support experiments from more than 30 Rady faculty and graduate students, employing a range of methodology.

The Behavioral Lab plays an integral role in the Rady community, shaping the future of business through impactful insights and the potential to guide business practices across a range of industries.

Conduct Research

Are you a Rady faculty member or Ph.D. student interested in running a study in the lab?

Please read the following information and then reach out to leckhardt@ucsd.edu for assistance with getting up and running. We are unable to support research from individuals outside the Rady community.

Facilities

We offer six breakout rooms for studies requiring individual sessions, in addition to the main computer lab that can accommodate over 25 students per session. We have headphones to accommodate studies with auditory components, and cameras for any requiring video as well.

Schedule

We typically run studies from Week 2 to Week 10 of each quarter Studies in the lab are updated weekly, or when they have reached the desired number of participants. To receive the study submission form, please email the lab manager at leckhardt@ucsd.edu.

The lab is typically first-come first-serve, so if there is a specific timeframe in which your study needs to run, it is recommended to reach out early to reserve your place. This also applies to studies which need to be run 1:1, or which have other complicating elements such as cash or special instructions.

Requirements

In order to run a study in the lab, we require that you are a Rady faculty member or Ph.D. student, and have updated IRB approval and CITI training.

Participant pool

Our participant pool consists of undergraduates enrolled in courses at the Rady School of Management, who participate in studies at the lab for class credit.

Note that this lab is for credit only, meaning that while you can provide incentives within your study, participation compensation may only be in the form of class credit (no cash). If you are interested in fully paid studies or studies with participants from outside UCSD, this can be done separately with the Rady Incentives Lab (located in Otterson Hall, 2S113).  You may contact the Incentives Lab manager at lab@rady.ucsd.edu.

Lab Staff and Contact Info

The Atkinson Behavioral Lab received foundational support through a generous donation from former UC San Diego Chancellor Richard Atkinson, who was also a Professor of Cognitive Science and Psychology. The title was formally established in 2013. It is run under the supervision of the full-time lab director, Lauren Eckhardt, and the faculty PI, Dr. Uma Karmarkar. 

Research Assistants

Research at the lab would not be possible without our team of excellent undergraduate research assistants. They are extremely valuable to the ongoing work and continued research performed at the Atkinson Behavioral Lab.

Sravanti Cheruvu

Tracy Feng

Daniel Ivison

Erin Jang

Jiwon Kim

Hojoon Kweon

Andrea Liao

Ani Maldjian

Heera Narayanan

Raj Patel

Gyana Patil

Vinh Pham

Dhriti Rajan

Pengxuan Ran

Cheryl Razonable

Cura Siegemund

Veda Thota

Ke Wang

Mandy Wu

Yuehan Xiong

Angela Yuan

Want to join us?

The lab is always interested in motivated undergraduate students to serve as volunteers who will assist with research. Research assistants are able to gain experience in a variety of activities. They also are able to help run experiments and assist with the recruitment of research participants across the UC San Diego campus. An interest in behavioral research is essential and previous experience is a plus.

Research assistants are volunteers and do not receive any financial compensation. They are expected to commit approximately three to five hours a week to lab activities.

Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Lauren Eckhardt, Behavioral Lab Coordinator, at leckhardt@ucsd.edu or (858) 246-0881. Applications are considered on a rolling basis.

Rady undergraduates looking to participate in the lab can find more information here.