The Paid Participant Studies List is hosted on the Psychology Graduate Student Council website. While most studies here are conducted in the Psychology Department, other departments recruiting participants are welcome to advertise. Anyone is welcome to sign up for the mailing list.
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Current Studies
Due to COVID-19, most studies are moved to online platforms, and only a few in-person studies are currently running, please read the study location carefully before you register.
We welcome both the general public and students, and please check the eligibility requirements for each study.
Last updated: July 27th, 2021
Researchers: Dr. Kathy Rush & Dr. Eric Li
Description: The aim of this brief survey is to explore how technology is being used in different communities in British Columbia during the COVID-19 pandemic. This information will help us to explore technology usage in order to identify unmet technological needs across diverse communities. Your participation will help determine the impact of COVID-19 on technology use in BC Communities. Here is the link to complete the online survey: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6JMU4jQ5N1HwJ4a
Eligibility: Must be 19+ years to participate and a resident of British Columbia.
Location: Online (https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6JMU4jQ5N1HwJ4a)
Contact information: Kendra Corman, (Research Assistant), email: Kmcorman@mail.ubc.ca. Cherisse Seaton (Research Coordinator), email: Cherisse.Seaton@ubc.ca
Reimbursement/Time: The online survey takes approximately 20-minutes to complete. By completing the survey, you will have a chance to win one of five $100, one of three $200 or a $400 cash prize! Odds of winning a prize are at least 1 in 100.
Study End Date: August 5, 2021
To be eligible for this study, you must:
1) have a computer that can run Windows
2) have a phone/other device that can run Zoom
3) be 18 years of age or older
4) be fluent in English
5) currently reside in Canada
Researcher: Hannah Kim, Andrea Albonico and Dr. Jason Barton (PI)
Description: This research study is looking at the speed of face, word and object recognition. The study is composed by 3 behavioral experiments on a computer: participants will see a different numbers of objects on the screen and they will be asked to decide whether all the pictures on the screen depict the same object or not.
Eligibility: between 20-40 years of age, with normal or corrected-to-normal vision, no neurological or psychiatric history and no visual complaints.
Location: The experiment will take place at the HVEM lab c/o the Eye Care Centre (2550 Willow Street).
Contact Information: If you are interested in participating in the study, please email Hannah at hannahhmkim(at)gmail.com
Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive $10.00 for each hour of participation. The study will approximately take 1.5 hours to complete.
Start and End Date: July 15th to August 31st.
Researcher: Sang-Wha Sien (grad student), Joanna McGrenere (principal
investigator)
Description: Help us brainstorm different designs for technologies that can help international students’ mental wellbeing. Technologies include app or web-based tools that support users’ mental health. Your participation will help us tailor mental health technologies to be more sensitive to different cultures in Canada.
The study involves participating in an online session where you will be asked to collectively design with international students, UBC counselors, and UBC student wellness administrators. You will be expected to draw on your own experiences with mental health, but you are not required to disclose them. We will audio/video record the session but you have the option to disable your camera.
To be considered for the study, please take our screening survey at https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0TWdT7RxUSCUrlA.
Eligibility:
If you are a student:
- Is an international student at UBC
- Identifies as coming from a non-Western cultural background (i.e., not from Western Europe, North America, Australia, or New Zealand)
- Is 18 years of age or older
- Fluent in English
- Is willing to talk about their perspectives on international student mental health
- Is interested in using mental health technologies for mental health
If you are an UBC employee working in student health and wellbeing:
- Is either a UBC counselor or administrator working in student wellness or directly with students
- Is willing to talk about their work with student mental health
- Is interested in helping students use technologies for their mental health
- Has not been pressured to join the study from an employer or person of authority
Location: Online using Zoom
Contact Information: Sang-Wha Sien (swsien@cs.ubc.ca)
Reimbursement/Time: A session will last approximately 90 minutes on Zoom. A pre-session preparatory exercise (20 minutes) and a post-session survey (20 minutes) will also need to be completed. You will be compensated $40 at a prorated amount for participating.
Study End Date: This study will be removed from this list on July 31st.
Researcher: Maria Manaligod (Graduate Researcher) and Dr. Rebecca Todd (Principal Investigator)
- MUST have a regular menstrual cycle (between 21 and 35 days), tracking app/calendar preferred, MUST have an Apple Watch (no Fitbit or other smart watches), access to Zoom (camera and microphone), normal or corrected-to-normal vision, fluent in English
Reimbursement/Time: The study won’t take more than 30 minutes and we send all participating families a $10 Amazon gift-card after the study.
Description: Researchers at UBC’s Peer Relationships in Childhood Lab are recruiting social media users who are willing to try some different patterns of using social media for six weeks—patterns that the researchers believe will benefit your mood and well-being! Learn more about our study at https://bit.ly/34Ufe1u.
Eligibility:
- You are between the ages of 19-29
- You use either Facebook or Instagram daily
- You have felt like your social media use has affected your well-being
Location: Study will be completely online, with the first session conducted over Zoom.
Contact information: Potential participants can take a short eligibility survey at https://bit.ly/3g8boHe, or send us an email at peerlab@psych.ubc.ca.
Reimbursement/Time: Four online sessions over 6 weeks. The first session will be about 1 hour and the remaining sessions will be about 30 minutes in length. You will complete a session every 2 weeks. You can earn a $50 CAD Amazon.ca, iTunes, or Starbucks gift card for participating.
Study End Date: May 2022
- Inclusion Criteria:
You are at least 25 years old. You are comfortable with reading and writing in English. Your schedule permits you to fill out smartphone surveys 5 times throughout each day for two weeks. You do not expect to move away from British Columbia in the next 3 years.
- Exclusion Criteria:
A doctor has ever diagnosed you with: – an autoimmune disorder (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes), or – an endocrine disorder (e.g., Cushing, Addison), or – a sleep-related condition (such as chronic insomnia, sleep apnea, circadian rhythm disorder, or narcolepsy) You suspect that you may have clinically-significant sleep problems You currently take any of the following medications: – sleep medications (e.g., sedative-hypnotics), or – medications containing steroids or cortisone (e.g., steroid inhaler, prednisone, fluticasone) You sometimes or frequently work night shifts that extend past midnight. You have been told by a dentist or dental hygienist that you have a gum disease (e.g., gingivitis). You have had oral surgery in the past month. You have had any of the following oral health conditions in the past month: – Aches or pain in your teeth or gums – Sores or cuts in your mouth – Gums bleed easily (e.g., after brushing your teeth) – Gums are red or swollen – Lost a tooth or had loose teeth – You had cavities filled, or you need to have a cavity filled
Study End Date: Ongoing
Researcher: Jordan Stevenson (Graduate Researcher) & Dr. Cameron Mitchell (Principle Investigator)
Description: Participants will undertake 2 bouts of resistance exercise and plyometrics on 2 separate days (Visit 2 & 3), and will be randomly assigned to consume either a placebo, essential amino acid, or non-essential amino supplement. Muscle biopsies (3 each on visits 2 & 3) in conjunction with blood samples and an isotope tracer infusion will be used to measure muscle contractile and collagen protein synthesis.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Male
- 18 – 35 years
- Fluently read and write in English
Exclusion Criteria:
- Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or current pharmaceutical therapy
- Medical conditions impacting ability to undertake strenuous physical activity
- Lower body resistance training in the previous 6 months
- BMI over 30
- Currently smoking with cigarettes
- Allergy to any study supplements (Essential Amino acid or Non-Essential Amino Acid Supplement)
- Currently taking any protein, amino acid, or collagen supplement
- Participate in greater than 2 hours of weekly vigorous exercise
Location: UBC Medical Sciences Block C
Contact Information: Jordan Stevenson – jordan.stevenson@ubc.ca
Reimbursement/Time:
- $250
- 3 Visits: 14 hour total time commitment
- V1: 1 hours
- V2: 6.5 hours
- V3: 6.5 hours
Study End Date: Ongoing
- We are recruiting parents and their 6-18 month old infants.
- Infants must sleep alone in their own bedroom for at least 6 hours per night (not co-sleeping with parents or in a room with other siblings).
Researcher: Dunigan Folk (graduate student), Dr. Elizabeth Dunn (principal investigator)
Description: This is a two-part study. If you agree to participate, in part 1 you will be asked to have a zoom call with a research assistant and complete a short survey including questions about your personality, demographics, and the friendships in your life. As part of this initial survey, you will also be asked to have a video call with a friend at some point over the following 7 days. After the video call with your friend, you will be asked to answer a survey regarding the video call (part 2). In order to verify that the video call took place, you will be asked to take a screenshot of the video call. If you would like to participate in this study, please complete the consent form at the following link https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0IfGOwy7pg2s1sF. The research team will then contact you to schedule a time for part 1.
Eligibility:
- Be 25 years or older
- Have a strong internet connection and a webcam
- Have access to online video chat platforms such as zoom.
Location: Online (using Zoom)
Contact Information: If you have any questions, please contact the researchers at ubcdigitalcommunicationstudy@psych.ubc.ca.
Reimbursement/Time: Part 1 will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Part 2 will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. For completing part 1, you will be entered into a draw for a $250 amazon gift card. For completing part 2, you will receive $7.50 (through E-transfer using email).
Study End date: September 1st, 2021
Researchers: Dr. Laura L. Struik, Dr. Joan Bottorff, Dr. Mohammad Khalad Hasan, and Zil e Huma (Graduate Student)
Description: The purpose of this study is to explore perceptions of young adults on the QUIT smartcase concept and accompanying smartphone app for reducing and stopping use of e-cigarettes that contain nicotine. The study involves online interviews with participants on Zoom. The QUIT smartcase prototype and the app will be illustrated using drawings or PowerPoint presentations (you will not need a smartphone). You will be asked about which features you find most effective, and suggestions for improving the app components and prototype. You will also be asked what additional features should be included in the app to support reducing the use of e-cigarettes containing nicotine.
Eligibility:
- You can take part in the study if you are between the age of 19 and 29 years and use e-cigarettes or vapes and want to reduce/quit the use of e-cigarettes;
- Living in Canada and can speak English.
- Please fill out the eligibility survey questions, accessible via https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_79SkfwtIELsee1w
Location: Online Zoom call
- Inclusion Criteria: You have been diagnosed with depression or suspect you may have depression, and are currently feeling depressed. Common symptoms include: depressed mood, diminished interest or pleasure in activities, change in appetite, poor sleep, fatigue, low self-esteem, and poor concentration; – You are willing to take a standard antidepressant medication as treatment for your depression; – You are willing to undergo blood/lab tests and brain scans.
- Exclusion Criteria: You have previously used escitalopram and/or brexpiprazole but did not get better or had an adverse reaction to either medication.
Location: Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3
Contact Information: Samantha Huang, 604 822 7804
Reimbursement/Time: To be discussed (up to $50 per visit for a max. of $400)
Study End Date: Ongoing
Researcher: Dr. Adele Diamond (PI); Ava Daeipour (Study Lead); Ava Hughes (RA)
Description: We are examining whether methylphenidate (MPH; known commercially as Ritalin©) might affect reasoning, attention, and memory differently in men and women. If eligible, participants will be asked to visit the lab three times. The first visit is an information session where you are asked to provide a saliva sample, and the second and third visits are testing sessions, scheduled one month apart. The testing sessions will involve taking either a low dose of MPH or a placebo (Vitamin C), and then completing 4 short cognitive tasks on a computer.
Eligibility: You are eligible if you meet the following requirements:
1) Female
2) 20-35 years of age
3) Proficient to fluent in English
4) Can execute a manual response such as pressing a button
5) Have a regular monthly menstrual period (applies to females only)
6) No history of neurological and psychiatric disorders, including brain injury
7) Not taking ANY medication that influences circulating gonadal hormone levels (e.g. testosterone, oral hormonal contraceptives, Depo-Provera [birth control drug injection])
8) Not taking ANY medication that might affect cognition
Location: The first session will be held remotely over Zoom. The second and third session will take place at the Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, UBC, Detwiller Pavilion, 2255 Westbrook Mall. Our lab is in the building next to the UBC Hospital.
Contact Information: Please email mphstudy@devcogneuro.com if you are interested in participating.
Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive a total of $40 for their time: $5 for completing the information session (approx. 30 minutes); $15 for completing the first testing session (approx. 1hr); and $20 for completing the second testing session (approx. 1hr).
Study End Date: ongoing
Researcher: Morteza Mousavi and Dr. Ipek Oruc (PI)
Description: We are interested in facial recognition abilities. Participants will be viewing images of celebrities on a monitor from a certain distance and asked to identify the celebrity.
Eligibility: You must have a fairly good knowledge of North American celebrities. You must be between the ages 18 and 35. You must have normal, or corrected- to- normal (glasses/contacts) vision.
Location: Our lab is located in the ICORD Centre of Vancouver General Hospital (818 West 10th Ave).
Contact Information:Please contact Morteza Mousavi at mousavi7@mail.ubc.ca to participate.
Reimbursement/Time: his study takes around 1 hour to complete and the compensation is $10/hour.
Study End Date: ongoing
- Currently living in BC
- Between ages 18-65
- Fluency in English (reading, writing, and speaking)
- Use a smartphone with internet access
- NO cognitive impairment (e.g., recent concussion)
- NO severe depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, psychosis, or difficulties with substance use
Researcher: Matthew Lowe
Description: Participants will fill out a 20-minute survey asking about social media usage, well-being and body image issues.
Mental health problems among young people in Canada have been rising — a trend that coincides with growing social media usage. To see whether the two trends are connected, UBC professor Matt Lowe is leading a study on the link between social media usage and well-being, depression and body image. To participate and get the chance to win one of three $100 Amazon gift cards, you can fill out this 20-minute survey which is also accessible by the QR code attached. All UBC students are eligible for the survey — regardless of whether you use social media or not. If you have any questions about the research, feel free to email matt.lowe@ubc.ca.
Eligibility: Any UBC student whether uses social media or not can participate
Contact Information: matt.lowe@ubc.ca
Location: Qualtrics survey at https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1STG6TBvtYiyYE5
Compensation: Participants will be drawn into $100 Amazon Gift cards raffle
Study End Date: Ongoing
Researcher: Luke Peddie and Dr. Eli Puterman (PI)
Description: The APEX Study seeks to understand how our responses to stressful events impact our physiology and psychological responses when we exercise. The APEX study will consist of two sessions, during which you will be fitted with a heart rate monitor and mask that measures your ventilation. The first session consists of some brief questionnaires and an 8-km cycling time trial on a cycle ergometer. The second session follows similar procedures with the addition of a public speaking task, similar to mock job interview. During the second session, you will be also asked to provide 5 saliva samples.
Eligibility: Participants should be females who are healthy, moderately active, 18-30 years old, not currently taking hormonal contraceptives or select medications, and who have not competed in sport for at least 2 years.
Location: FAST Lab on UBC Vancouver campus (Medical Sciences Block C, room number 108, 2176 Health Sciences Mall). Medical Sciences Block C is located immediately North of Woodward library.
Contact Information: To sign up, please fill out this form (https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9zDKs1qxrKoovtz) with your contact information and we will be in touch with you soon. You can also call us at 604-827-2618 or email us at kin.fastlab@ubc.ca for more information.
Reimbursement/Time: The study consists of 2 sessions within a 14 day period. Day 1 appointments are approximately 90min, and day 2 appointments are approximately 2hours and 10min. Participants will be paid a $40 honorarium for participating, as well as provided a complimentary fitness assessment.
Researcher: Anna Safaris (RA), Jon Howard (RA), Nicole Ong (PhD student), April Karlinsky (PhD student), and Dr. Nicola Hodges (PI; School of Kinesiology, UBC)
Description: Participants will practice a rhythmic finger-tapping task alone or with a partner, trying to learn the timing of the rhythm as accurately as possible.
Eligibility: In order to participate in this study you must meet all of the following requirements: 1) female, 2) 18-35 years old, 3) right-hand dominant, 4) no current injury to the wrists and hands, 5) normal or corrected vision and hearing, 6) no known neurological disorders, 7) maximum of 4 years of piano training (please inform Jon about all music training), 8) good understanding of English, 9) no previous participation in a similar study conducted by the School of Kinesiology’s Motor Skills Lab (if in doubt, please check with the researcher).
Location: Room 300 and room 26 in War Memorial Gym. However, please always meet in War Memorial Gym, Room 300.
Contact Information: Please contact the UBC Motor Skills Laboratory at KIN.MSL@ubc.ca. Please include “Rhythms” in the subject line of your email.
Reimbursement/Time: The study will take place across 2 days in a row. Day 1 will take 1-1.5 hours and Day 2 will take 30min (total time: 1.5-2 hours). Participants will be paid $13.85/hour.
- Must be a “skilled” darts thrower with 5 years of experience. Able to hit “their number” on the dart board 2 out of 3 times.
- 18-60 years old
- good understanding of English
- right-hand or left hand dominant (not ambidextrous)
- no current injury to the wrists or hands that would interfere with dart throwing
- have normal or corrected vision and hearing
Speech processing in adverse listening conditions
Study Title: Speech processing in adverse listening conditions
Researcher: Christina Sen and Dr. Molly Babel (PI)
Description: We are looking to record some male, native Cantonese speakers for a speech perception experiment. Participants will be asked to read only 25 English sentences into a microphone.
Eligibility: Must be male, native Cantonese speakers (between the ages of 20 and 30) who speak English with a Cantonese accent.
Location: Stores Road Annex at UBC (6368 Stores Road, Vancouver, BC)
Contact Information: Christina Sen, cmsen@mail.ubc.ca
Reimbursement/Time: The study will take around 15 minutes. Participants will be compensated $10 for their time.
Study End Date: April 30th
Effects of transcranial electrical stimulation on perception and cognition
Researcher: Dr. Lawrence Ward (PI)
Description: This experiment will explore how people process visual stimuli. It will involve viewing and responding to visual stimuli presented on a computer screen. You will receive weak electrical stimulation on the scalp delivered with a safe, harmless, non-invasive brain stimulation technology.
Eligibility: Must be 18-35 years old
Location: The experiment will be conducted in the Laboratory of Psychophysics and Cognitive Neuroscience (Kenny Building, Room 3014)
Contact Information: Email Naima Mansuri at wardlab@psych.ubc.ca to organize a time to participate.
Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive $10.00 for each hour of participation. The study will take approximately 1-2 hours to complete on each of two separate occasions.
Study End Date: No end date specified. Posted May 28, 2019.
Researcher: Hannah Brodie, Mariya V. Cherkasova
Description:
• Playing games on the computer for money bonuses;
• Filling out some questionnaires;
• Your eye position will be recorded with an eye tracker – a small camera pointed at your eye – while you play the games;
Eligibility: Anyone with normal or corrected-to-normal vision and hearing and good enough command of English to complete questionnaires.
Location: Eye Care Centre, Vancouver General Hospital, 2550 Willow st. rm360A.
Contact Information: Please email Hannah Brodie at hannah.brodie@alumni.ubc.ca to schedule a testing session.
Reimbursement/Time: The study comprises a single visit lasting about 2 hours. The compensation for the study will equal to the amount earned in money bonuses on the tasks (~$40-$50 on average).
Eligibility: Couples aged 60 or above.
Contact Information: If you are interested in participating, email gripstudy@psych.ubc.ca or phone 604-822-3549 and ask about the GRIP study.Reimbursement/Time: Participation will take roughly 15 hours spread over a two week period. For participating in the study, couples can choose to receive one tablet per couple or monetary reimbursement. A free technology workshop is also available.
Study End Date: Ongoing
Watch your thoughts and get a free brain scan!
Researcher: Sneha Sheth and Kalina Christoff
Description: We are looking for subjects to participate in our research study which will require you to be able to answer questions about your own thoughts as they naturally unfold over time. You will do this as you lie still in an MRI scanner for two hours.
Eligibility: 21-36 years old, healthy, right-handed, not on psychiatric medication. Note that the first part of this study determines your eligibility for the second part, so you will only be contacted for the second part after your results from part one are screened.
Location:This a two-part study which will take place on UBC campus. Part 1 is a behavioral component that will be conducted in the Kenny building. The second part will involve you lying still inside an MRI scanner (located at the Center for Brain Heath).
Contact Information: Please fill out this form https://forms.gle/3tSY8dzLNaLEUzkN9 and contact Sneha at ubcdotstudy@gmail.com
Reimbursement/Time:This study will take 4 hours in total spread over two separate days. You will be reimbursed $10 for part 1 and $45 after completing part 2. You will also receive a free CD with pictures of your brain after completing part 2.
Study End Date: Ongoing
Aging and vision with eye-tracking
Researcher: Doris Chow (Post-doc) and Miriam Spering (PI)
Description: This study is about motion sensitivity and eye movements. You will look at visual stimuli presented on a monitor while your eye movements are being recorded with a video camera. You will also be asked to make manual responses to the specific features of the stimulus. Some of these judgments will be easy and other more difficult. Basic vision tests will also be performed.
Eligibility: 19-45 or 65-85 years old; normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity (at least 20/40); no history of neurological, psychiatric or eye diseases (such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, or ‘lazy eye’)
Location: The study will be conducted at ICORD, VGH (818 W10th Avenue) or ICICS, UBC Vancouver (2366 Main Mall).
Contact Information: please email doris.hm.chow@ubc.ca for inquiries and scheduling
Reimbursement/Time: Remuneration is $3 per 15 mins of study participation (rounded up to the nearest 15 min interval). The total duration of the study is up to 75 mins (one session). ($5 / session if you do not meet the vision requirements on the day of the study and cannot participate)
Study End Date: No end date specified. Posted August 29th
Away we grow! Growing up milk toddler nutrition development study
Researcher: Dr. Yvonne Lamers (PI) and Dr. Tim Oberlander (Co-PI)
Description: The objective of this study is to determine whether the type of milk a child drinks impacts growth, behavior, and development. The child will be followed over six months of time. For more information visit: www.tiny.cc/ubcnutritionawg
Eligibility:
Healthy children nearing 18 months-of-age, born at 37 week gestation as a singleton birth (i.e. not a twin, triplet) with a birth weight between 2500-4500g (5.5-10lbs) and able to complete 5 study visits within 6 months (3 study visits at UBC, BC Children’s Hospital or Surrey office & 2 at a convenient community location).
Location: Participants may complete study visits at the site most convenient: at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, 4480 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, UBC OR the Nutrition Research Offices at 73rd & King George, Surrey.
Contact Information: Please contact Chloe Chong at nutrition.research@bcchr.ca or by telephone at 604-875-2345 ext. 4896 or complete and send us the Eligibility Screening Questionnaire at: www.tiny.cc/ubcnutritionawg
Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive Gift Cards for the time to complete assessments / study visits and will be reimbursed for parking/public transit.
Study End Date: Anticipated as December 2020.
Researcher: Drs. Joanne Weinberg (PI), Tammy Bodnar, and Charlis Raineki
Description: We are investigating the role of the immune system in health for adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). You will be asked to complete questionnaires, play iPad games, have your picture taken, provide a small blood and saliva sample, and have a study doctor take some routine health measurements.
Eligibility: BC residents between the ages of 22 and 50+ who have an official FASD Diagnosis or who were not exposed to alcohol prenatally
Location: UBC Campus (LSI) or BC Women’s Health Centre (4500 Oak St, Vancouver, BC)
Contact Information: You may fill out our contact form at http://tiny.cc/adulthealthstudy. You may also email adulthealth.fasd@ubc.ca or call us at 604-809-5574
Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive monetary reimbursement for their participation. The study will involve one visit lasting approximately 3 to 5 hours (or less).
Study End Date: Posted on August 13, 2019. No end date specified.
The Hearing Brain
Researchers: Dr. Todd S. Woodward, Dr. Mahesh Menon, R.Psych, and Dr. Christine Tipper
Description: This sub-study is part of a larger research project that seeks to develop transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) as a research and therapy tool. tACS is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique in which a very weak electrical current is applied to the scalp in order to increase the likelihood of neural firing in targeted brain regions. This safe, painless, non-invasive brain stimulation technology holds great promise as a therapeutic application for brain health conditions. Participation as a control subject in this study will aid the study investigators in developing protocols to influence network-level brain function in a precisely targeted manner and test specific hypotheses about the role of different brain networks in specific aspects of cognition and behaviour
“The Hearing Brain” investigates whether transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) can mimic and/or influence the brain activity that occurs when listening to simple sounds.
Eligibility: To participate you must be a fluent English speaker aged 19-60, and must not have a history of migraines, neurological problems, or seizure
Location: The experiment will be conducted in the Cognitive Neuroscience of Schizophrenia Laboratoy (Detwiller Pavilion, UBC Hospital)
Contact Information: Contact Jessica at brain.dynamics@ubc.ca
Reimbursement/Time: All together, it takes about 1.5 hours to complete this paid study.
Study End Date: No end date specified. Posted July 23, 2019.
UBC Teen Health and Emotions Study
Researcher: Bita Zareian, Dr. Christine Anderl, & Dr. Frances Chen (PI)
Description: UBC’s Social Health Lab is exploring how hormones shape teenagers’ emotions over time. Teenagers experience a range of moods and emotions, thanks to a sharp increase in hormones. What’s not known is the role that these hormones have on the maturing teenage brain.
Eligibility: Young women between 13-15 and one of their parents or guardians. Teens and parents must be fluent in English and have no definite plans to move in the next 3 years.
Location: UBC Douglas Kenny Building and at home.
Contact Information: Email us at teenstudy@psych.ubc.ca. Learn more at bit.ly/UBCTeenStudy.
Reimbursement/Time: This study includes six lab sessions across 3 years. In total, this study takes about 13.5 hours to complete. Participating families will receive up to $180 ($30 for each completed lab session)
Study End Date: No end date specified. Posted July 9, 2019.
Face Recognition Research Study
Researcher: Todd Kamensek (graduate student) and Dr. Ipek Oruc (PI)
Description: You are invited to participate in a study evaluating one’s daily exposure to faces for factors such as size, gender, viewing distance, and angle. The study involves the use of a head-mounted camera that will take photographs at regular intervals in first-person view over the course of 1 day for 8-10 hours. After wearing the glasses for a day, participants will complete a few lab based assessments of visuo-spatial ability and face recognition.
Eligibility: Participants must be at least 18 years old with normal or corrected-to-normal vision.
Location: Blusson Spinal Cord Center, 818 W 10th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9 Contact Information: Please contact Todd Kamensek at todd.kamensek@ubc.ca if you are interested in participating.
Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive $20 compensation for wearing the head-mounted camera for one day, plus $10 per hour for additional testing at the lab (1 hour).
Study End Date: Posted June 25, 2019. No end date specified.
Preliminary Bolus Study
Researcher: Dr. Yvonne Lamers (PI) and Mikaela Stewart (RA)
Description: We are investigating how methionine is used in our bodies. Following a successful health screening visit, we require 6 hours of your time in a single visit at the Women’s Health Research Institute (Oak Street Campus). During this time, participants will be asked to provide blood and breath samples, as well as information on dietary intake and B-vitamin status.
Eligibility: Healthy women aged 20-35 who:
– Have not been taking vitamin, amino acid or protein supplements regularly (more than once a week)
– Do not chronically consume a high protein diet (e.g. Atkins)
– Have no chronic medical conditions (e.g. diabetes, cancer, asthma, gastrointestinal surgery…)
– Are not pregnant or breastfeeding
– Do not smoke, use recreational drugs or drink more than 7 alcohol beverages per week
– Do not take long-term prescription medication (e.g. hormonal contraceptives, antidepressants…)
– Have not donated blood in the past 3 months prior to study start
Location: BC Women’s Health Research Institute: 4500 Oak Street, Vancouver
Contact Information: Please contact Mikaela Stewart at folate.study@ubc.ca
Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive up to $75 in gift cards for successful completion ($25 for screening visit ~1 hr, $50 for main study day ~6 hrs).
Study End Date: No end date specified. Posted June 25 2019.
The Dynamic Reciprocal Electroencephalography and Modulation (DREAM) study
Effect of Visual Noise and Blur on Facial Recognition
Practice Scheduling and Motor Learning of Keystroke Patterns
Researcher: Georgia Grieve (RA) and Dr. Nicola Hodges (PI)
Description: Participants will practice various keystroke patterns with the goal of learning the timing of each pattern as accurately as possible.
Eligibility: In order to participate in this study you must meet all of the following requirements: 1) female, 2) age 18-35, 3) right-hand dominant, 4) normal vision or wear corrective lenses, 5) no injury to the right hand, 6) no known neurological disorders, 7) no previous participation in a study involving keystroke patterns conducted by the School of Kinesiology’s Motor Skills Lab (if in doubt, please check with researcher)
Location: Room 4612 in the D. H. Copp Building (2146 Health Sciences Mall)
Contact Information: Please contact Georgia at georgia.grieve@alumni.ubc.ca. Note: Please include “Keypress Study” in the subject line of your email.
Reimbursement/Time: This study will take place across 2 consecutive days. Day 1 will take ~75 min and Day 2 will take ~30 min. Participants will be paid $12.65/hr (total time commitment ~105 min).
Impact of dart-throwing practice on self-confidence and skill learning
Researcher: Sowmya (RA), and Dr. Nicola Hodges (PI)
Description:
Participants are needed for UBC study to investigate learning of a dart-throwing task. We examine how self-confidence can be affected by practice. Physiological measures of your heart rate and skin conductance levels will be measured during the experiment. None of these measures are invasive. You will wear a wrist strap, finger strap and have two disposable electrodes attached to your left palm. Reflective stickers would also be attached to your right shoulder, elbow, wrist and finger (hence wear a sleeveless shirt if possible!). Videos of your arm movement during dart throwing will also be recorded for analysis purposes. These video recordings will be accessed only by the experimenters and will be saved in a password-protected computer, locked in the laboratory.
Eligibility:
Due to the nature and aims of this study, we are only recruiting participants who:
1) Right-handed females only
2) Age: 19-50 or 18-50 (for UBC students)
3) Have perfect or corrected vision
4) No injuries to upper limbs or any known neurological disorder where overall movement will be adversely affected and atypical of the general population
5) Good written and verbal English proficiency (there will be questions and plenty of instructions)
6) Have *not* played darts or have minimal experience in dart throwing (**please check with Teresa via email)
7) NOT competitive athletes in a sport involving throwing accuracy with the upper limbs (e.g. basketball, softball; **check with Teresa if in doubt).
Location: 6081 University Boulevard (War Memorial Gym in Room 300 located on 3rd floor near bleachers) (http://www.maps.ubc.ca/PROD/index_detail.php?locat1=428)
Contact Information: Please contact Sowmya at KIN.MSL@ubc.ca Note: Please include “ATTN: DARTS” in the subject line of your email. Also please provide your phone number and ubc email if possible.
Reimbursement/Time: This study will take place across 2 consecutive days. Day 1 will take ~1.5 hrs and Day 2 will take ~30 min. Participants will be paid $12.65/hr (total time commitment ~2 hrs).
Study End Date: Ongoing
Study of Online Shared Accounts
Researcher: Borke Obada-Obieh, Yue Huang, and Prof. Konstantin Beznosov
Description: Participant will be involved in an interview session with UBC researchers. Participant will be interviewed either in person or over a video call.
Eligibility: In the last 12 months, participants must have stopped using an online account (e.g., Netflix, Amazon, online bank account), shared with either their romantic partner, parent, or child. OR participants are attempting to stop using a shared online account.
Location: At the participants’ preferred location or over a Skype video call.
Contact Information: Potential participants can take the eligibility survey using this link https://bit.ly/2S17lPS or send an email to Borke Obada-Obieh via borke@ece.ubc.ca
Reimbursement/Time: Participants will be compensated with $20 (for in-person interviews) or $20 Amazon Gift Card (for video interviews)/ Interviews will take about 1 hour.
Study End Date: Study posted January 4. No end date.
Aging and vision with eye-tracking
Researcher: Doris Chow (Post-doc) and Miriam Spering (PI)
Description: This study is about motion sensitivity and eye movements. You will look at visual stimuli presented on a monitor while your eye movements are being recorded with a video camera. You will also be asked to make manual responses to the specific features of the stimulus. Some of these judgments will be easy and other more difficult. Basic vision tests will also be performed.
Eligibility: 19-45 or 65-85 years old; normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity (at least 20/40); no history of neurological, psychiatric or eye diseases (such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, or ‘lazy eye’)
Location: VGH, 818 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver
Contact Information: please email doris.hm.chow@ubc.ca for inquiries and scheduling
Reimbursement/Time: $15 at the completion of the study (60-75mins including breaks, one visit); if you do not fulfill the visual acuity requirement of the study such that we cannot proceed with the experiment, you will be compensated for $5 for your time.
Study End Date: No end date. Posted November 20, 2018
Transition to High School
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Study Title: A unique title used to identify your study (Indicate if this is an online study or not)
Researcher: The grad student(s) and the primary investigator
Description: A few sentences or a short paragraph about what participants will do. You can use the Human Subjects Pool style as a guide.
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Location: Where the participant will take part in the study (e.g., Kenny building, UBC campus, Vancouver General Hospital, online). Please note that not all readers of the list are UBC students, and so if your location is a building on campus, we recommend you include a street address so participants can look up the location of the building.
Contact Information: A name, email address/phone number so participants can organize a time to participate
Reimbursement/Time: What participants will be paid and how long will the study take
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