Behavioral Labs
- About Us
- Class Credit Participants
- Paid Participants
- FAQs
Class Credit Participants
Certain Rady School courses give class credit for participating in research study sessions at the Atkinson Behavioral Research Lab. This page is designed to make it easy to understand how to earn participation credits.
First, read the "Starting the Quarter with Sona" section below to understand how to create a Sona account or update your old one. You will use Sona to find available studies, sign up for studies, receive credit for participating, and assign your earned participation credits to your courses.
Next, read the "Participation Guidelines" section to understand how to actually participate in studies.
Contact the lab for help with Sona, questions about the lab's participation system, or clarifications about course requirements.
Starting the Quarter with Sona
To sign up, participate, and receive credit for studies this quarter, you must create a Sona account or update your existing Sona account.
Use the Rady Sona Platform to access Sona and set up an account. Make sure the banner at the top says “Rady Class Credit Behavioral Lab”, and not “Rady Incentives Lab Participation”. Please specify the Rady course or courses that you are enrolled in that require participation in studies. Use "Ctrl" or "⌘" to select multiple courses.
If you already have a Sona account, you must update it by specifying the courses you are enrolled in this quarter. Use the Rady Sona Platform to access Sona, choose "My Profile," and then choose "Change Courses."
Participation Guidelines
You will automatically receive emails via your Sona account notifying you about available studies. You are responsible for choosing what studies to sign up for. You must sign up for a study in order to participate in it. In Sona, you can click on a study to see a description of it. There is also a "timeslots" link that shows when each study will occur.
When you sign up for a study, make sure to indicate to what course you’d like your participation credited. After you sign up, you will receive a confirmation message. You will also be assigned a unique ID — you will need to provide this ID when you participate in a study.
Participating
Studies are available throughout the quarter. Studies take place in the lab facilities (5th Floor of the Wells Fargo wing). Take the West elevators to the 5th floor to find the lab. Please participate as early in the quarter as you can. If you wait until the last days of the quarter, there may be few studies available.
If You Need To Cancel
If your plans change and you cannot participate in a study you’ve signed up for, please cancel via Sona with at least 24 hours notice. Failure to cancel will result in a “no show”; multiple “no shows” may result in a loss of your right to participate in studies.
If your plans change and you cannot participate in a study you’ve signed up for, please cancel via Sona with at least 24 hours notice. Failure to cancel will result in a “no show”; multiple “no shows” may result in a loss of your right to participate in studies.
Receiving Credit
After you participate in a study, you will receive credit for participating via the Sona system. You can always check how many credits you have earned using your Sona account.
After you participate in a study, you will receive credit for participating via the Sona system. You can always check how many credits you have earned using your Sona account.
One Credit per Study Session
For every study session you participate in, you will earn one credit. The actual length of a session can be anywhere between 40 to 55 minutes
For every study session you participate in, you will earn one credit. The actual length of a session can be anywhere between 40 to 55 minutes
A Note about FOR-CREDIT versus PAID studies
To fulfill course requirements, you must complete two hours of FOR-CREDIT studies. Studies conducted in the 5th floor Atkinson Behavioral Lab are FOR-CREDIT. Participation in paid studies CANNOT be applied toward course requirements.
To fulfill course requirements, you must complete two hours of FOR-CREDIT studies. Studies conducted in the 5th floor Atkinson Behavioral Lab are FOR-CREDIT. Participation in paid studies CANNOT be applied toward course requirements.
Alternatives
If you are unwilling or unable to participate in studies at the Rady Behavioral Lab, you may write a paper as an alternative assignment. Contact the lab for more information.
If you are unwilling or unable to participate in studies at the Rady Behavioral Lab, you may write a paper as an alternative assignment. Contact the lab for more information.