The second way to satisfy the requirement is to participate in actual experiments conducted in the Psychology Department.

Psychology as a science is based upon the careful observation of behavior in controlled situations.  (The situation must be controlled so researchers can know what factors are influencing the behavior they are observing and which are irrelevant.)  Your participation in the ongoing research in the Department serves two specific purposes.  First, it will give you first-hand experience in the basic processes by which psychology as a science is created, so when you read about experiments in your textbook, you'll have a better idea of what was involved.  Second, your  participation will provide a genuine contribution on your part to the advancement of knowledge in psychology.  (We cannot learn new facts about human behavior unless we have human beings help us by participating in our research studies.)

Procedural Details for the Research Option
Experimental Procedures are Reviewed
Your Responses are Protected
What happens in Experiments?
Some Experiments Involve Deception
Cancellation of Experiments
No-Shows: What Happens if You Don't Come and if You Haven't Cancelled?
Do not expect to be reminded of your scheduled experiments.  Run the strauss computer program at least once every other day.
 
 
 

Procedural Details for the Research Option

    If you choose this Research Option, here is what you are agreeing to, and what will happen.
    (a)  You will come, if selected, for up to (but no more than) four hours of research participation in the Psychology Department.
Some of the experiments last for 30 minutes, others for 60.  Thus, it is possible, (but not likely)  that you may be scheduled for eight 30-minute  studies, (that's one extreme) or for four 60-minute studies (that's the other extreme).  For most students, there will be some mix of 30 and 60 minute experiments.
    (b)You will usually be chosen to participate in research on the basis of a "random draw."  That is, your name will be chosen from a list of names randomly.  Hence, it might happen that your name will never be selected over the entire semester.  If this should happen, then you are considered to have satisfied the requirement.  You should know however, that it is highly likely that your name will be chosen numerous times over the semester.
    (c)  If your name is chosen, the experimenter will check to be sure you are free at the time he/she would like you to come.   If you are free, you will be scheduled..  All this information will be recorded in the computer system we use to manage the research participation requirement.  And, it is through the computer that you will be able to see if you've been scheduled for any studies.  The computer procedures you follow to see if you've been scheduled are outlined at the end of this document.

If you choose the Research Option, it will be your responsibility to check the computer at least once every other day in order to see if you have been scheduled for a study.  As you will see, it's quite easy to do this, but it's important to stress that you must do it at least once every other day.

Experimental Procedures are Reviewed

    You  should understand that every experiment conducted in the Psychology Department at the University of Delaware has been reviewed by a Departmental Committee, whose concern is not with getting research done, but rather with the well-being of the students participating as subjects in this research.
    In compliance with federal guidelines, before any experiment can be conducted it is necessary for the committee to agree that the anonymity and dignity of each participant is protected, and that no participant is put at psychological or physical risk by the experiment's  procedures.
    The chairperson of the Departmental Committee is a member of the University Committee on the Use of Human Subjects which is chaired by the Vice Provost for Research.  If for any reason the departmental committee considers it appropriate or desirable, it will seek the approval of the University Committee for a proposed study.

Your Responses are Protected

    All researchers have the obligation of guaranteeing that all data you provide, whether they be answers to a questionnaire or responses in a laboratory experiment are maintained in a way that prevents public or general access.  Furthermore, unless you’ve given explicit and written permission none of the data you provide will be published or otherwise disseminated in a manner that allows you to be personally identified.

 What Happens in the Experiments?

Once you arrive at the laboratory, the following  will happen:

• (a)The experimenter will tell you as much as possible about the study, so that you will know what you'll be doing.
• (b) Once the study has been explained, you will be asked if you want to participate in it or not.  If you choose to participate, you will be asked to sign an "informed consent" form, and then the study will proceed. If  for any reason at all, you choose not to participate, you simply tell this to the experimenter, and that's it.  We want to make it very clear that no penalty of any sort will  be imposed on you if you decide not to participate in the study.  Regardless of your decision, you receive participation credit for coming and listening to the experimenter's presentation.  The credit you receive is equal to the amount of time the experiment would have run, had you agreed to participate.  For studies lasting 30 minutes or less, you will receive 30 minutes of credit.  For studies lasting between 31 and 60 minutes, you will receive 60 minutes of credit. You should also know, that if you agree to participate, and then somewhere into the actual experiment you decide you do not wish to participate any longer, you are free to leave then and there.  You will still receive full participation credit as just described, and no penalties will be imposed.
• (c) Once the experiment is over, you will be given feedback as to its purpose and the hypotheses it was testing.  The feedback will usually occur immediately after the experimental session.  Sometimes, however, it will occur at a later time.  It is the experimenter's responsibility to make sure your questions about the study get answered to your satisfaction.

Some Experiments Involve Deception

    For the majority of experiments things will go just as described above.  That is, the initial description of the experiment will be an accurate description of what it is really about.  However, on occasion the experimenter will find it necessary to mislead you as to the true purpose of the study.  Such deception can occur in one of two ways:  (a) the experimenter may simply omit some information from the description of the study, or (b) the experimenter may misrepresent the nature of the experiment.  Either of these types of deception will only occur when there is no other way for the experimenter to conduct the study in a way that provides meaningful data.
    At the end of any study involving deception, it is the experimenter's obligation to describe the deception to you, and also to explain why the deception was necessary.  University guidelines pertaining to the use of human subjects in research require us to inform you of the possibility of deception  - but frankly the large majority of studies do not involve any deception.

Cancellation of Experiments:
    If you cannot come at the time you have been scheduled, you should complete a cancellation form and leave it at the Research Pool Office (117 McKinly).  Copies of this form will always be available outside the research office.  When you've completed the form, place it in the  box near the door of the Research Pool Office.  You must be sure to provide all information on the form: (1) your name; (2) social security number; (3) the name of your 201 instructor; (4) the name of the experiment you cannot attend; (5) the date and time for which you had been scheduled; and (6) the REASON you can't come.  You must submit the cancellation form no later than 24 hours prior to the scheduled study.
    Understand, you should use cancellation system in good faith.  You should have a legitimate excuse if you cancel participation in an experiment.  If the system is abused by a student, we reserve the right to reassign that student to the Readings Option.

No-Shows: What Happens if You Don't Come and if You Haven't Canceled?
    Finally, what happens if you fail to cancel, and simply do not come to an experiment for which you have been scheduled?   This is referred to as being a "NO-SHOW."  This is a serious problem because both other students, and the experimenter  are depending on you.
    For the first NO-SHOW, you will be required to write a paper identical in format to the papers written by students who've chosen the Readings Option.  You will receive no experimental credit for the paper. All your paper does is to make up for the missed appointment. If you are a NO-SHOW and do not submit the paper, you will not have fulfilled your research requirement, and you will receive an "I."
    For the second NO-SHOW two things will happen. First, you will be moved from the Research Option to the Readings Option.  Second, you will have to write a paper to make up for the second NO-SHOW.  And, since you're in the READINGS OPTION, you will need to write four papers to satisfy this requirement  That's six papers in all.  If this should strike you as a bit strict, it's because being a NO-SHOW is a totally unnecessary event. If you check the computer at least once every other day, and follow the Cancellation procedure for studies you can't make, NO-SHOWs won't happen.

Be sure to check the computer for your scheduled studies at least once every other day.  Failure to do so is  the major reason that students in the past missed their scheduled studies,. incurring  the added responsibility of writing a paper, being re-assigned to the Readings Option, and/or receiving an Incomplete in the course.

Do not expect to be reminded of your scheduled experiments.  Run the strauss computer program at least once every other day.
    In previous semesters a few researchers have used note cards or telephone calls to remind students of studies for which they've been scheduled.  If you should receive such a reminder, be sure to check the computer to see if you've actually been scheduled for the study.  If the computer shows that you have not been scheduled for that experiment, don't go, and contact one of the Research Requirement TA’s to let them know this happened.
    Also, please understand that most  researchers do not send out such reminders.  Do not assume that you will be reminded for your studies; in fact, it is most likely that you will receive no reminders at all. So, again,  it's your responsibility to check the computer program at least once every other day.