Paid Participants Studies List

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.

Notice to Researchers: Researchers willing to advertise should note that as this page is accessible to the public, we cannot monitor nor guarantee the quality of data you may collect, particularly for online studies. To ensure the integrity of your data, we strongly recommend implementing additional quality checks within your study design.

Advertise on the List

Current Studies

We welcome both the general public and students to participate, and please check the eligibility requirements for each study.

Your participation in our studies is greatly appreciated! To ensure that the research results are accurate and meaningful, it’s important that you give your full attention and respond honestly to all questions. Please make sure to carefully read and follow the instructions provided in each study.

Last updated: May 7, 2026

Famous Faces in Focus: Athlete Portraits and Motor Embodiment (in person)

Researcher: Christopher Gray (student lead), Nicola Hodges (Principal Investigator)

Description: Participants are needed for a UBC study to investigate the influences of perception on our own motor system. In this research study, we examine motor reactions to images of famous tennis and soccer players.

Eligibility: 

– Between ages 18-50 years old

– Identify as male

– Normal or corrected-to-normal vision

– No existing injury to the dominant hand and foot

– No known neurological disorders

– Must be able to understand and speak English

– Must be familiar with famous tennis and soccer players

Location: Room 2105, 5955 University Boulevard, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1 (Gateway Building). https://maps.ubc.ca/?code=GWHB

Contact Information: If you meet the requirements and are interested, please email cgray06@student.ubc.ca with “Famous Faces Study” in the email subject line. You will receive a pre-screen survey to complete prior to testing.

Reimbursement/Time: It is anticipated that the study will take approximately 45 minutes. A $15 honorarium will be provided upon completion of the study.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted May 7 2026.

Perceiving Objects and Events A (in-lab)

Researcher: Dr. Joan Ongchoco

Description: You will be asked to do computer-based tasks that will involve responding to shapes, images, and/or tones using the keyboard and mouse. This study will take place at Kenny 3203. You can knock and the researcher will come out to get you set-up!

Eligibility: 18-35 years old, normal or corrected-to-normal vision, must be fluent in English. Should be able to do computer-based tasks.

Location: Room 3203 (third floor), Douglas T. Kenny Building, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4

Contact Information: To participate, please email the Research Assistants at ubcperception@gmail.com

Reimbursement/Time: The study will take 60mins and the participant will be reimbursed through a CAD $15 Amazon gift card.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted May 1, 2026.

Practice-based improvement in movement automatization (in-person study)

Researcher: Jeremy Thomas (Graduate Student), Yoyo Luk (Student), Dr. Hyosub Kim (Principal Investigator)

Description: We are looking for healthy volunteers to take part in a study on motor skills. We are interested in how cognition supports human skill automatization, which is the process by which humans transition from being slow and deliberative to being fast at executing motor skills. Testing will involve making reaching movements over a graphics tablet in a simple video game-like setting, while we measure reach movement trajectories.

Eligibility: 

In addition, you do not possess or exhibit either of the following:

Location: Gateway Health Building, Room 2101 (5955 University Boulevard)

Contact Information: You can contact Yoyo at: yoyoluk@student.ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time: The study consists of two sessions and will take approximately 1.5 to 2 hours per session. Participants will receive a $15 honorarium per session.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted April 29, 2026.

Danger Detection

Researcher: Dr. Hee Yeon Im (PI), Freya Chaytor (student), and Evelyn Young (student)

Description: Researchers are interested in collecting participants’ behavioural and neural responses to dangerous scenes. To do so, the study team will fit participants in an EEG cap, applying skin-safe gel to areas of the participant’s hair/scalp to improve signal quality. Participants will then be shown a number of scenes depicting workplace scenarios. Some scenes will depict dangerous scenes, and others will not. The EEG cap will collect the brain’s response to each image. While viewing each image, participants will be asked to respond to questions related to the image content. The entire experiment, including set-up, consent, cap fitting, and experiment debrief, will take about 2.5 hours.

Eligibility: We will test healthy adults aged 19-65 with typical vision.

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Self-reported normal or corrected-to-normal vision; any participant with prescriptive eyewear will be required to wear glasses/contacts during the experiment.
  2. Normal color vision.
  3. No history of neurological disorders.
  4. No history of attentional disorders.
  5. Individuals okay with touch or light pressure on the head.

Exclusion Criteria:

Any individual who has participated in the Danger Detection: Image Evaluation study also hosted by the IMM Lab.

Location: Room 4205 (4th floor), IMM Lab, Kenny Building, UBC Vancouver Campus  [2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC]

Contact Information: Please contact the IMM Lab using immlab.ubc@ubc.ca to coordinate participation or with any further questions.  

Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive $50 CAD for their participation. The experiment will take 2.5 hours. 

Study End Date: August 2026. Posted April 27, 2026.

Visual Learning (In-Person Study)

Researcher: Dr. Hee-Yeon Im (PI), Jieun Cho (Post-doc), Erin Chiu (student), Alexis Fong (Research Technician)

Description: We are recruiting participants for a study on visual learning and perception.

You will complete a computer-based task where you will view simple visual patterns and learn to categorize them based on their features. You will receive feedback during learning and complete a short subsequent test with new images. Some individuals may experience eyestrain and/or fatigue. If you are very prone to eyestrain or having trouble staring at a screen for a prolonged amount of time, we ask that you do not sign up for this study.

Eligibility:

  • 18 years or older

  • Normal or corrected-to-normal vision

  • Fluent in English

Location: Room 4205 (4th Floor), IMM Lab, Kenny Building, UBC Vancouver Campus (2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC)

Contact Information: Please contact the IMM Lab using immlab.ubc@ubc.ca to coordinate participation or with any further questions.

Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive $10 CAD for the participation. The experiment will take ~60 mins.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted April 23, 2026.

Evaluation of auditory evoked response stimuli and response detection

Researcher: Kailey McMillan, Chloe Fichter, Dr. Anthony Herdman (PI)

Description: We are currently recruiting participants for a research study at the University of British Columbia (UBC), led by Dr. Anthony Herdman, Ph.D., in the School of Audiology and Speech Sciences. The current study explores how people with normal hearing respond to the sounds that are used in a specialized type of hearing test. One of the most common uses of this specialized test is to check the hearing of newborn babies. If you choose to participate, you will be asked to listen to a series of beep and chirp sounds while your brainwaves are scanned with electrodes gently placed on your scalp. We are seeking adult volunteers who meet specific criteria to help us assess the efficacy of these AEP stimuli. If you decide to join the study, you will be asked to participate in the following tests:

  • A brief demographics questionnaire.
  • A visual examination of your ears (otoscopy).
  • A brief hearing screening.
  • An auditory brainstem response (ABR) test with different brief tone stimuli

Eligibility:

We are looking for participants who:
  • Are between the ages of 19 to 35.
  • Do not have any current concerns or complaints about their hearing.
  • Have never been diagnosed with a hearing loss.
You will not be eligible to participate if you:
  • Are younger than 19 or older than 35.
  • Have a history of diagnosed hearing loss, ear infections, auditory processing disorders, or neurological conditions.
  • Have recently used or currently using substances that might impact your reaction time.

Location: Woodward Instructional Resources Centre (IRC) on UBC campus.

Contact Information: Please email branelab@audiospeech.ubc.ca if you are interested in participating.

Reimbursement/Time: The study is estimated to take 1.5-2 hours. Participants will receive a gift card as a token of appreciation for your time completing the study

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted April 18th, 2026.

Self-concept: A potential link between mental health stigma and university-work trajectories in emerging adults

Researcher: Talia Vacca (PhD Student) and Dr. Charles Chen (Supervisor)

Description: The aim of this study is to understand how mental health stigma and self-concept relate to academic adjustment, future career thinking, and overall well-being in emerging adults. The ultimate goal is to inform future research and programs that support students’ transition into adulthood.

Eligibility:

  • Be aged 18-29
  • Have a confirmed mental health diagnosis by a qualified professional (e.g., psychiatrist or psychologist)
  • Are currently enrolled in a post-secondary in Canada
  • Fluent in English

Location: Virtual/online survey via RedCAP

Contact Information: To participate, please email Talia Vacca at talia.vacca@mail.utoronto.ca

Reimbursement/Time: Eligible participants will be asked to complete an online survey that takes approximately 30-50 minutes. As a token of appreciation for their time, participants may optionally enter a prize draw to win one of 10 $50 Amazon e-gift cards.

Study End Date: March 1st, 2027.

Visuomotor Learning in Children and Adults (MEG/MRI Study) (In-Person)

Researcher: Dr. Hee Yeon Im (PI), Dr. Deborah Giaschi (Co- PI), and Alex Cook (Graduate Researcher)

Description:This neuroimaging study (MEG/MRI) seeks to evaluate participants’ learning of new motor movements through a behavioural task. You will first complete a quick visual assessment, and then play a video game in the MEG scanner. The video game involves using a mouse cursor to interact with animated images on the computer monitor. This will be followed by a short MRI scan, where you will be asked to lie in the MRI scanner for 15 minutes.

Eligibility:

  • Children aged 6-11 or adults aged 19-45
  • Have normal or corrected-to-normal vision
  • No metal in your body

Location: ImageTech Laboratory at Surrey Memorial Hospital (Building A, Level 1, 13750 96 Avenue, Surrey, BC V3V 1Z2)

Contact Information: Please contact Christina at immlab.neuroimging@ubc.ca if you would like to participate or have any questions.

Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive an honorarium for helping us out. The study will consist of one visit that takes around 2-2.5 hours.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted April 15, 2026.

Comparing brain changes with and without knee pain (in-person)

Researcher: Christopher Lamb (PhD candidate) and Dr. Lara Boyd (principal investigator)

Description: Osteoarthritis is the degeneration of joint cartilage and the underlying bone, which may or may not cause pain and/or other symptoms. Increasing evidence suggests that symptomatic knee osteoarthritis involves changes in how the nervous system transmits and processes information from the knee joint. This study aims to use different tools such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and quantitative sensory testing to assess differences in nervous system sensitivity between individuals with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis and individuals without any knee pain.

This study involves a single session in the Brain Behaviour Laboratory at UBC hospital. This will include:
  • Filling out a variety of questionnaires
  • Pain sensitivity testing at the knee and back of the forearm using quantitative sensory testing
  • Measurement of “excitability” of 2 different parts of the brain using TMS

Eligibility: You may be eligible if you:

  • Are between 45-80 years old
  • Have movement-related knee joint pain
  • Do not have TMS contraindications (e.g., cochlear implants, pacemaker, metal implants)
  • Do not have any of the following:
    • diagnosis of cognitive impairment
    • history of head trauma, psychiatric diagnosis, neurodegenerative disorder, neurological diagnosis or substance abuse
    • current use of schedule 1 pain medication(s)
    • diagnosed with autoinflammatory condition (i.e., rheumatoid arthritis)
    • leg injury, surgery or injection within 6-months.

Location: UBC Hospital Koerner Pavilion (2211 Wesbrook Mall), Vancouver, BC, V6T1Z3

Contact Information: If interested, please reach out to Chris Lamb at clamb02@student.ubc.ca, or Jordan Brocato (lab manager) at 604-827-3369 or brocato@mail.ubc.ca. Alternatively, you can fill out a brief screening survey here: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/ form/SV_7aFJZWL7dwwWh9k 

 

Reimbursement/Time: Participants will be provided with $25 to compensate for time and parking costs. Participants will be required to go through a brief safety screen via email or phone to determine eligibility prior to data collection. Data collection will take place during a single session at UBC hospital and will last 2-3 hours.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted April 8, 2026.

PEARLS: Positive Emotions and Relationships Longitudinal Study (In-Person and/or Online)

Researcher: Dr. Samantha Dawson (PI), Dr. Katrina Bouchard (Co-PI), Dr. Marie-Michèle Paquette (Postdoctoral Fellow), Marta Kolbuszewska, M.A. (PhD Candidate), Kiarah M. K. O’Kane, M.A (PhD student), Rylee Mason (Research Coordinator)

Description: The goal of the PEARLS study is to better understand how emotions relate to sexual well-being.

There are two versions of the study: VANCOUVER LOCAL COUPLES and ONLINE ONLY Transgender and Gender-diverse Couples in Canada and the USA
What is involved?
  • FOR BOTH VERSIONS: Online baseline survey (30-45 minutes), brief daily surveys (14 days), 4 additional surveys (3-, 6-, 12-, and 18 months post baseline)
  • FOR VANCOUVER LOCAL COUPLES ONLY: One in-lab session where you and your partner will engage in filmed discussions while your physiological responses are recorded. (2 hours)

Eligibility: Wondering if you are a good fit for the study? You may be eligible if you AND your partner…

  • Are 18 years of age or older
  • Are in a committed relationship of more than 2 years
  • Currently live together
  • Comfortable reading, writing, and conversing in English

Location:

  • Most components completed online
  • In-lab session (2 hours): Douglas T. Kenny Building (2136 West Mall, Vancouver BC, V6T1Z4)

Contact Information: If you are interested and think the study might be a good fit for you and your partner, please complete the following questions at this link: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3ZXXqGTUDsNUBdY. Or email the pearls@psych.ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time:

  • ONLINE ONLY TRANSGENDER and GENDER-DIVERSE COUPLES: Compensation will be provided for each component of the study up to a total of $160 CAD in gift cards ($320 CAD per couple).
  • FOR VANCOUVER IN-PERSON: Compensation will be provided for each component of the study up to a total of $200 CAD in gift cards ($400 CAD per couple).

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted March 31, 2026.

Feasibility study of long-term light and ion therapy for maintenance treatment in depression (LIMIT-D) (In-person)

Researcher: Dr. Raymond Lam, Department of Psychiatry

Description:The UBC Mood Disorders Centre at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health is recruiting for a feasibility study exploring the use of two separate non-medication treatments, light therapy and ion therapy, as maintenance treatment in major depression. We are interested in exploring factors affecting the two treatments as maintenance treatments (to help prevent the return of symptoms) instead of medications in people with Major Depressive Disorders who wish to stop their antidepressant treatment.

Participation would include daily use of a bright light device or ion device provided by our clinic for 6 months, as well as regularly completing self-rated scales and meeting the study doctor for assessments. However, half of the treatment devices have been modified so that they are inactive (placebo). You have a 1 in 2 chance (like flipping a coin) of receiving an active or an inactive device.
Eligibility:
We are looking for people who
  • are 19-65 years old
  • meet criteria for major depressive disorder (not bipolar disorder)
  • are currently taking an antidepressant, with no dose change in the past month
  • are interested in stopping your antidepressant
  • are feeling well (no longer depressed), according to a clinical interview
  • do not have a seasonal pattern of depressive episodes (seasonal affective disorder)
  • do not have any other major medical or psychiatric conditions
  • do not have a problem with substance use currently or within the past 6 months.

Location: UBC Mood Disorders Centre, at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health

Contact information: Research coordinator, Lam.MDDResearch2@ubc.ca / 604-822-8012, https://app.reachbc.ca/project/study/424

Reimbursement/Time: $15 per visit (1-2 hours)

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted March 31, 2026.

Investigation of the Biological Markers of Major Depression (OPTIMUM-D) (In-person)

Researcher: Research coordinators, Dr. Raymond Lam

Description: This study involves standard treatment for depression and randomization into placebo groups. Patients will be treated by a psychiatrist for 12 weeks with an antidepressant medication approved to treat depression. The study will involve a total of 8 in-person visits over 12 weeks.

Throughout the visits, the study will involve 2 x Collection of blood (Baseline, Week 8) 2 x Stool Sample Collection (Baseline, Week 8) 2 x Urine Collection (Baseline, Week 8) 2 x Electroencephalography (EEG) (Baseline, Week 8) 1 x Electrocardiography (ECG) (Screening only) 8 x Clinical assessments done by a psychiatrist (at each week study visit)

Eligibility: Are between 18-65 years of age. Have been diagnosed with depression or suspect you may have depression, and are currently feeling depressed. in activities, change in appetite, poor sleep, fatigue, low self-esteem, and poor concentration. Are willing to take a standard antidepressant medication as treatment for your depression. Are willing to undergo blood/lab tests and brain scans.

Location: UBC Mood Disorders Centre (2nd floor), 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3

Contact Information: Research coordinator, Lam.MDDResearch2@ubc.ca/604-822-7804, https://app.reachbc.ca/project/study/356

Reimbursement/Time: To be discussed/12 weeks

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted March 31, 2026.

Seeing the man: The properties of ensemble coding (In-Person Study)

Researcher: Dr. Hee Yeon Im (PI), Victor Cui (MSc student), Gursahil Purba (student), Rundong Wang (student), Alexis Fong (Research Technician)

Description: Ensemble coding refers to the brain’s ability to rapidly and efficiently extract summary statistics or overall patterns from a group of visual elements, rather than processing each individual item in detail. For example, instead of analyzing every single face in a crowd separately, we can quickly perceive the average emotion or identity of the group. This mechanism allows for the global perception of complex visual scenes, helping us make sense of cluttered environments at a glance. In the first part of the study, participants will watch a clip with multiple actors depicting different emotions and evaluate the intensity of their overall emotion. In the second part, participants will watch a series of dynamic emotional clips and then evaluate the intensity and identify the emotional categories.

Eligibility:

  •  18 years or older
  • Fluent in English

Location: Room 4205 (4th Floor), IMM Lab, Kenny Building, UBC Vancouver Campus (2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC)

Contact Information: Please contact the IMM Lab using immlab.ubc@ubc.ca to coordinate participation or with any further questions.

Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive $10 CAD for the participation. The experiment will take ~60 mins.

Study End Date: Ongoing.

Manual Reaching: Executed vs Imagined (In-Person Study)

Researcher: Noah Britt (noah.britt@ubc.ca), Dr. Alan Kingstone, and Dr. Nicola Hodges (PI)

Description: We are interested in how individuals perform reaching movements when they have to physically execute a reaching movement with their hand compared to when they have to simply imagine performing the action. The first half of the study will involve manual reaching movements (i.e., using your hand, reach toward targets and ignore any distractors) on a digitized visual environment. Then, for the second half of the study, you will imagine using your hand to reach towards targets. We want to know how different signals from actually moving compared to imagining, influence the timing (and accuracy) of movements in a simple manual reach task..

Eligibility: We are looking for individuals who are/have: 

  1. Between the ages of 60-80 years old
  2. Right-hand dominant for most skills 
  3. Normal or corrected-to-normal vision and colour vision
  4. No existing injury to the right hand
  5. No known physical disorders or injuries that impede full-body movement
  6. No known neurological disorders
  7.  Must be able to understand instructions written and spoken in English

Location: Room 2105, Second Floor, Gateway Health Building, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

Contact Information: Noah Britt (noah.britt@ubc.ca), please email to schedule a date/time for participation.

Reimbursement/Time: $20 cash for at most 60-75 minutes.

Study End Date: Ongoing.

Perception of Faces (Online)

Researcher: Suna Yoolf (Research Assistant) and Dr. Ipek Oruc (PI)

Description: We are interested in how people recognize faces. Participants will be asked to take part in an online test assessing their ability to differentiate faces of various levels of similarity.

Eligibility: You are eligible to participate in this study if you are:

  1. Aged 19 years or older
  2. Have normal or corrected-to-normal (glasses/contacts) vision
  3. You may be placed in one of our experimental groups based on your responses to our Social Exposure Survey, which must be completed before beginning of the experiment.
  4. People with impaired vision that cannot be corrected through the use of glasses or contact lenses are excluded from the study because the proposed experiments measure visual recognition, thus requiring normal or corrected-to-normal vision.
  5. Participants may be grouped into different conditions based on their prior exposure and experience with various image categories (e.g., bird experts). If a participant does not qualify for a particular group (e.g., bird experts), or if that group’s target sample size has been reached, then we may not be able to recruit that participant at that point in time, even though they do not satisfy the exclusion criteria (i.e., even if they have normal or corrected-to-normal vision).

Location: This study will be completed online on a personal computer. After completing the survey, eligible participants will receive a follow-up email with instructions for the online experiment. The experiment is fully web-based, so it can be completed anytime and anywhere.

Contact Information: Please contact syoolf@student.ubc.ca if you are interested in participating.

Reimbursement/Time: This study takes 1-1.5 hours to complete (with breaks). Participants are compensated at $10/hr in the form of a Canadian Amazon gift card will be emailed to you.

Study End Date: Ongoing.

TikTok/ADHD Relationship Over Time

Researcher: Vasileia Karasavva (Graduate Student) and Dr. Amori Mikami (Principal Investigator)

Description: If you participate, the study has two parts, both completed online. In Part A (which takes about one hour), you’ll complete questionnaires about your social media use, ADHD symptoms, and beliefs about mental health services. You’ll then be randomly assigned to one of four conditions for one week. Depending on the condition, you may receive short daily videos about ADHD, be sent popular ADHD-related TikToks, be asked to abstain from social media, or be asked to continue your usual habits. One week later, you’ll complete Part B (which also takes about one hour and takes place online), which is a follow-up questionnaire.

Eligibility: To be eligible, you need to be 17 – 25 years old, a UBC student, and suspect or know you have ADHD.

Location: The study is completed online.

Contact Information: If you are interested in participating, please complete the screening survey at the following link: https://ubc.yul1.qualtrics.com/app/comms-navigator/surveys/SV_8dfbuvrDabvotKK/anonymous-links.

Reimbursement/Time: You will be paid $5 for participating in Part A of the study and $10 for participating in Part B

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted February 21st, 2026

Pediatric Speech Recognition Performance (VR study)

Researcher: Dr. Douglas Sladen (Principal Investigator), Asha Hui (Research Student)

Description: We are conducting a study to explore how well children understand speech in virtual reality (VR) environment. We are looking for children with typical hearing between the ages of 8-14. During the study session, we will ask the child to wear VR goggles and listen to sentences whilst noise is playing in the background, and to repeat the sentences back. Following this, the child will be asked to rate how similar VR is to real life on a scale between 0 and 10 with 0 being “not similar” and 10 being “very similar”.

Eligibility: You are eligible to participate in this study if you are:  

Location: This study is located in the Friedman Building (2177 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3) on UBC campus.

Contact Information: If interested, please email ashahui@student.ubc.ca or fill out this interest form (https://rc.med.ubc.ca/redcap/surveys/?s=FYJERPKKD7NAMLPE).

Reimbursement/Time: The anticipated study duration will be one hour. A $30 amazon gift card will be provided upon completion of the study. 

Study End Date: February 19, 2027. 

Understanding Victim/Survivor and Professional Perspectives on Hate Crime Response in British Columbia (Zoom-based Study)  

Researcher: Dr. Michael Woodworth (PI), Kassandra Roul (Co-Investigator, Graduate Student) 

Description: This study explores how hate-motivated incidents and crimes are experienced by victims/survivors in British Columbia and how police and community service providers respond to them. Participation involves a) completing a brief online pre-screener survey (approximately 5 minutes), and eligible participants will be invited to take part in b) a confidential 60-90 minute Zoom interview to discuss their experiences seeking support, navigating reporting pathways, and interacting with police and/or community organizations.

Eligibility: You are eligible to participate in this study if you are:  

Location: This study is hosted at the University of British Columbia Okanagan; however, all study procedures will take place over Zoom.  

Contact Information: Please complete this short pre-screener form to determine your eligibility: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3K5gf2TydER2mMu

If you have any questions or desire further information with respect to this study, you may contact Kassandra Roul (Kroul@student.ubc.ca) at any time.

 

Reimbursement/Time: Participation in this study will take approximately 60-90 minutes to complete. Individuals who partake in an interview will receive a $50 honorarium as a thank-you for their time. No compensation is provided for completing the pre-screener alone. Not all individuals who complete the survey will be invited to interview. All participants will be notified of their eligibility by the end of April 2026.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted February 3rd, 2026

Effect of Audiovisual Multisensory Integration on Manual Interception (in-person)

Researcher: Dr Miriam Spering (Principal investigator), Abibat Akande, Anthony Herdman

Description: We are looking for healthy volunteers to take part in a study on audiovisual multisensory integration on manual interception. If you agree to participate in this study, you will be asked to look at a moving object on a screen and follow its motion with your eyes. You will also be asked to intercept it by hitting it on the screen with your finger. 

Eligibility:  To participate, you must fulfill the following requirements:

  • be between 19-49 years old.
  • have normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity.
  • do not have hard contact lenses.
  • have no history of neurological disease (such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, trauma to the head, including a concussion within 12 months of the study).
  • have no history of eye disease (such as strabismus or amblyopia, known a “lazy eye”)
  • do not have an implanted pacemaker or defibrillator.
  • have no history of psychiatric disease (such as schizophrenia or depression).

Location: The study location is 2366 Main Mall, Computer Science building, ICICS Room X715, UBC campus.

Contact Information: Please email Abibat: akande02@student.ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time: The experiment consists of a single session lasting up to 90 minutes. You will be compensated $10/hour in cash upon completion of this study. 

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted February 3rd, 2026

Comparability of Alternate Versions of EF tasks (in-person, male only)

Researcher: Dr. Adele Diamond (Principal Investigator), Umang Ajmera, Tesnim Mtiraoui, Dominique Chen, Hannah Gharagozloo (Research Assistants)

Description: For this research, you will do three versions of the Flanker/Reverse Flanker task to assess selective attention; two versions of the Hearts and Flowers task to assess response inhibition. The goal of this research is to examine whether different versions of two widely used executive function (EF) tasks, the Flanker/Reverse-Flanker task and the Hearts-and-Flowers task, are comparable in difficulty for young adults.

Eligibility:

  • Between 18 and 30 years of age
  • Male (we have already collected enough data from female participants)
  • Have normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity
  • Fluent in English
  • No history of head injury
  • No conditions that could affect task performance (e.g., limb injuries)

Location: We are located downstairs in Detwiller (the Psychiatry Pavilion), next to UBC Hospital, between Health Sciences Rd and Wesbrook Mall. The building address is 2255 Wesbrook Mall.

Contact Information: If you meet the eligibility criteria, please email uajmera@student.ubc.ca and include “Comparability” in the subject line. In your email, please include your UBC email (if available), a phone number, and availability over the next two weeks.

Reimbursement/Time:  The experiment consists of a single session lasting up to 60 minutes. You will be compensated $10 upon completion of this study. In addition to this, you will be entered in a lottery to win $50.

Study End Date: June 30, 2026.
Visual Search Study

Researcher:  Principal Investigator: Todd Handy, todd@psych.ubc.ca. Co-Investigator: Alannah Wallace, awalla01@student.ubc.ca

Description: The purpose of this study is to collect information about how people use visual attention. To learn more about this, participants will be asked to fill out a demographics form, a questionnaire pertaining to strategy use, a questionnaire on attention, and participate in a non-invasive brain scan (electroencephalogram) measuring the brain’s natural electrical activity, using a cap filled with small metal electrodes (a small amount of saltwater gel will be applied to electrodes resting on hair).

Eligibility: Participant must be a student that is diagnosed with ADHD.

Location: This study takes in-person in room Douglas T. Kenny room 3409/3407.

Contact Information: Alannah Wallace, awalla01@student.ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time: The study takes two hours and participants will obtain a $20 Amazon gift card which will be emailed to them.

Study End Date: February 19, 2026.
Cerebellum transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) study (In-person)

Researcher: Vivian Li (MSc student) and Dr. Lara Boyd (PI)

Description:Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a safe and non-invasive tool to study the human brain. Single and paired-pulse TMS protocols can measure brain excitability and connectivity, while repetitive TMS protocols can transiently make the brain more or less excitable. The Brain Behaviour Lab is conducting a TMS study to understand how the brain excitability and connectivity change following repetitive TMS over the cerebellum.

The study involves 4 visits to the Brain Behaviour Lab at UBC Hospital (2211 Wesbrook Mall).
  •  Visit 1 (2 hours): You will complete some questionnaires and take part in a short TMS session for baseline measurements.
  •  Visit 2-4 (2.5 hours each, spaced at least 1 week apart): In these three sessions, we will deliver 3 different types of repetitive TMS. We will use TMS to map your brain excitability and connectivity both before and after the repetitive TMS.

Eligibility:

  • Between ages 19-35 years
  • Right hand dominant for most skills
  • No known history of head trauma, major psychiatric diagnosis, neurodegenerative disorder, or substance abuse
  • No TMS contraindications (e.g., cochlear implants, pacemaker, metal implants).

An eligibility screening will be conducted with a member of the research team.

Location: UBC Hospital Koerner Pavilion (2211 Wesbrook Mall), Vancouver, BC, V6T1Z3

Contact Information: If you are interested in participating, please reach out to Vivian at ylvivian@student.ubc.ca or fill out the interest survey here: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3NLgnSERTdC9C50

Reimbursement/Time: The study will involve a 15-minute phone call for confirming eligibility, and 4 visits to the lab that will be 2-2.5 hours each. Compensation will be provided for your time and transportation.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted November 18, 2025. 
Cerebellum transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) study (In-person)

Researcher: Vivian Li (MSc student) and Dr. Lara Boyd (PI)

Description:Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a safe and non-invasive tool to study the human brain. Single and paired-pulse TMS protocols can measure brain excitability and connectivity, while repetitive TMS protocols can transiently make the brain more or less excitable. The Brain Behaviour Lab is conducting a TMS study to understand how the brain excitability and connectivity change following repetitive TMS over the cerebellum.

The study involves 4 visits to the Brain Behaviour Lab at UBC Hospital (2211 Wesbrook Mall).
  •  Visit 1 (2 hours): You will complete some questionnaires and take part in a short TMS session for baseline measurements.
  •  Visit 2-4 (2.5 hours each, spaced at least 1 week apart): In these three sessions, we will deliver 3 different types of repetitive TMS. We will use TMS to map your brain excitability and connectivity both before and after the repetitive TMS.

Eligibility:

  • Between ages 19-35 years
  • Right hand dominant for most skills
  • No known history of head trauma, major psychiatric diagnosis, neurodegenerative disorder, or substance abuse
  • No TMS contraindications (e.g., cochlear implants, pacemaker, metal implants).

An eligibility screening will be conducted with a member of the research team.

Location: UBC Hospital Koerner Pavilion (2211 Wesbrook Mall), Vancouver, BC, V6T1Z3

Contact Information: If you are interested in participating, please reach out to Vivian at ylvivian@student.ubc.ca or fill out the interest survey here: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3NLgnSERTdC9C50

Reimbursement/Time: The study will involve a 15-minute phone call for confirming eligibility, and 4 visits to the lab that will be 2-2.5 hours each. Compensation will be provided for your time and transportation.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted November 18, 2025. 
Cerebellum transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) study (In-person)

Researcher: Vivian Li (MSc student) and Dr. Lara Boyd (PI)

Description:Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a safe and non-invasive tool to study the human brain. Single and paired-pulse TMS protocols can measure brain excitability and connectivity, while repetitive TMS protocols can transiently make the brain more or less excitable. The Brain Behaviour Lab is conducting a TMS study to understand how the brain excitability and connectivity change following repetitive TMS over the cerebellum.

The study involves 4 visits to the Brain Behaviour Lab at UBC Hospital (2211 Wesbrook Mall).
  •  Visit 1 (2 hours): You will complete some questionnaires and take part in a short TMS session for baseline measurements.
  •  Visit 2-4 (2.5 hours each, spaced at least 1 week apart): In these three sessions, we will deliver 3 different types of repetitive TMS. We will use TMS to map your brain excitability and connectivity both before and after the repetitive TMS.

Eligibility:

  • Between ages 19-35 years
  • Right hand dominant for most skills
  • No known history of head trauma, major psychiatric diagnosis, neurodegenerative disorder, or substance abuse
  • No TMS contraindications (e.g., cochlear implants, pacemaker, metal implants).

An eligibility screening will be conducted with a member of the research team.

Location: UBC Hospital Koerner Pavilion (2211 Wesbrook Mall), Vancouver, BC, V6T1Z3

Contact Information: If you are interested in participating, please reach out to Vivian at ylvivian@student.ubc.ca or fill out the interest survey here: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3NLgnSERTdC9C50

Reimbursement/Time: The study will involve a 15-minute phone call for confirming eligibility, and 4 visits to the lab that will be 2-2.5 hours each. Compensation will be provided for your time and transportation.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted November 18, 2025. 
Perceptual Grouping in Children (In-Person)

Researcher: Dr. Hee Yeon Im (Principal Investigator)

Description: We are looking for participants to take part in a study that investigates perceptual abilities in children. In this study, participants will be asked to do a quick visual assessment, and then play a simple video game in our lab that involves drawing circles using a digital pen and a tablet.

Eligibility:  We’re looking for children 7-12 years of age with healthy vision.

Location: Opthalmology Lab at BC Children’s Hospital (4480 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC)

Contact Information: If you’d like to participate, please email us at opthalrl@cw.bc.ca with the subject ‘Clustering Study’

Reimbursement/Time: It is anticipated that the study will take approximately 70 minutes. An honorarium will be provided.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Oct 21, 2025.
The bWell Cognitive Care Platform: A pilot feasibility study in healthy participants

Researcher: Dr. Trisha Chakrabarty (Principal Investigator)

Description: Individuals with depression suffer from problems with cognition (for example, problems with memory, attention and processing speed). In collaboration with the National Research Council Canada, we have developed the bWell Cognitive Care Platform for Depression (called ‘bWell’), a set of games that are presented in virtual reality which are specifically designed to aid people with depression. We would now like to try bWell assessment both in individuals with history of depression, and in healthy individuals with no history of depression, or other psychiatric/neurological disorders.  Our aim is to see whether bWell is engaging, enjoyable and usable, and the data gathered from healthy individuals will be compared to data gathered from individuals with depression.

Your participation would involve an initial screening assessment over the phone to determine your eligibility, a preliminary interview held over Zoom (40-60 minutes), a cognitive assessment session using the bWell virtual reality program and computerized cognitive tests (2.5hrs) and an EEG recording/MRI scan session (2.5hrs)

Eligibility: You may be eligible to participate if:

  • You are between the ages of 19 and 65
  • You are able to follow written and verbal instructions in English
  • You do not have history of any psychiatric disorder
  • You do not have any significant neurological disorders, head trauma, or other unstable medical conditions which may adversely impact cognitive functioning
  • You do not have any physical mobility issues that limit arm or neck movement

Location: Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health (2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3).

Contact Information: Please email vrstudy.bwell@ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive a $90 honorarium for participation in the assessment session (2.5hrs) and the MRI scan/EEG recording (2.5hrs), as well as reimbursement for all travel costs.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Sept 24, 2025.
The bWell Cognitive Care Platform: A pilot feasibility study in patients with depression 

Researcher: Dr. Trisha Chakrabarty (Principal Investigator)

Description: Individuals with depression suffer from problems with cognition (for example, problems with memory, attention and processing speed). In collaboration with the National Research Council Canada, we have developed the bWell Cognitive Care Platform for Depression (called ‘bWell’), a set of games that are presented in virtual reality which are specifically designed to aid people with depression. Our aim is to see whether bWell is enjoyable, engaging and useful  to help reduce cognitive issues for those with depression.

Your participation would involve an initial screening assessment over the phone to determine your eligibility, a preliminary interview held over Zoom (40 minutes-1hr), a cognitive assessment session using the bWell virtual reality program and computerized cognitive tests (2.5hrs), an EEG recording/MRI scan session (2.5hrs), and 8 weeks of repeated sessions (1hr sessions, twice a week for 8 weeks)

Eligibility: You may be eligible to participate if:

  • You are between the ages of 19 and 65
  • You have a history of depression and/or are currently experiencing mild symptoms of depression
  • You have noticed cognitive difficulties (for example, problems with concentration, attention or memory) in your day to day life
  • You have never before received a diagnosis of a neurological disorder (e.g. Parkinson’s Disease, Huntington’s Disease, Dementia) or suffered a serious head injury/concussion
  • You do not have any physical conditions that limit your neck (ability to turn your head) or arm mobility

Location: Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health (2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3).

Contact Information: Please email vrstudy.bwell@ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive a $200 honorarium for participation in the assessment session (2.5hrs), MRI scans/EEG recording session (2.5hrs) and 8 weeks of repeated sessions (2 sessions per week, 60 minutes each), as well as reimbursement for all travel costs.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Sept 24, 2025.
Food Preparation Study

Researcher: Joey Manaligod and Dr. Rebecca Todd

Description: The Motivated Cognition Lab at the University of British Columbia is currently recruiting participants for a study exploring how emotions are experienced in everyday tasks. This will involve preparing a simple snack. You will be asked to fill out questionnaires and wear a small sensor around your waist. The total time commitment length for the study is 1-1.5 hours. Participants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

Eligibility:

  • Must be over 19 years of age
  • Must be fluent in English
  • Must be located in Metro Vancouver
  • Must be comfortable being video recorded
  • No severe food allergies or dietary restrictions

If you are interested in participating, please complete the pre-screening survey found here: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e4cBsjze95Ehzuu or email Joey at mclab@psych.ubc.ca

Location: UBC Vancouver

Contact Information: To learn more or participate, please contact Joey at mclab@psych.ubc.ca

Compensation: Receive $20 for participating. Transit and parking costs also covered separately. 

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Sept 24, 2025.
Canadian-based racialized Two-Spirit, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (2SGBTQ) men’s suicidality – an online photovoice study

Researcher: Calvin C. Fernandez (Student Investigator), Dr John Oliffe (Principal Investigator)

Description: Interested participants can contact the student investigator, and will be invited to a 15-minute Zoom pre-interview meeting to i) assess their eligibility, ii) receive briefing about the study and consent details, and iii) review safety measures while participating in the study. Eligible participants will subsequently complete a sociodemographic form and be invited to take and submit 5 to 10 digital photographs that best illustrate their strategies, including strengths and challenges for dealing with suicidality. They will then undergo individual Zoom interviews with the student investigator, using the submitted photographs to illustrate, narrate and/or discuss their experiences of suicidality.

Eligibility: Only those who: i) self-identify as a racialized 2SGBTQ man, ii) aged 19 and above, iii) currently live in Canada, iv) can speak and understand English, and v) have experienced suicidal ideation, planning and/or attempt more than a year ago will be eligible to participate in the study.

Location: The submission of digital photographs and individual interviews will be conducted online.

Contact Information: To participate, contact Calvin Fernandez at calvin.fernandez@ubc.ca

Compensation: Participants who complete all steps of the study will receive a $100 e-gift card from any Canadian store of their choice.

Time Commitment: Participants are expected to spend approximately 15 minutes for the pre-interview meeting, and approximately 1 hour for the individual interview. Additional time may be required e.g. time taken to take photographs which may vary between participants.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Sep 26 2024.
Action error and observation in aiming movements

Researcher: Carrie Peters & Dr. Nicola Hodges (PI; School of Kinesiology)

Description: Participants are needed for a UBC study to investigate how watching someone else perform can help us learn and/or alert us to errors. We are interested in how watching actions of others impacts on processes related to performance and learning. In this research study, you will be asked to reach towards targets on a touch screen computer and will also watch videos of someone else also doing this task (ethics, H24-03388). This study is being run in the Motor Skills Lab in the School of Kinesiology (principal investigator is Dr. Nicola Hodges). 

Eligibility: We are looking for individuals who are/have:

• Between ages 18-50 years old
• Right-hand dominant
• Normal or corrected-to-normal vision
• No known physical or neurological disorders or injuries that impede upper body movements
• Must be able to understand and speak English

Location: 300A in the War Memorial Gym (6081 University Blvd)

Contact Information: If you meet the eligibility criteria, please email kin.msl@ubc.ca and include “Aiming observation” in the subject line. In your email, please include a UBC email address (if available), a phone number, and your availability over the next 2 weeks

Reimbursement/Time: It is anticipated that the study will take approximately 60-80 minutes. A $20 honorarium will be provided upon completion of the study. 

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted August 18, 2025.

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. Your eye movements will be monitored.

Eligibility: Must be 18-35 years old.

Location: The experiment will be conducted in the Psychophysics and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory (Kenny Building)

Contact Information: Email Mehak Dhaliwal at wardlab (at) 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 2 hours to complete on each of two separate occasions.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted April 3, 2025. Updated September 9, 2025.
Social Perceptions and Life Experiences

Researcher: Gabrielle Ibasco (Graduate Student) and Dr. Jessica Tracy (Principal Investigator)

Description: In this study, we are interested in the social perceptions and life experiences of Canadian students. You will take part in a video-recorded focus group discussion with other participants (either in person or over Zoom, depending on your preference) about an assigned topic related to your life as a Canadian student. The session will be video-recorded strictly for data coding purposes, and will only be accessible by members of the research team. The discussion should take approximately 15 minutes. After the discussion, you will complete a final survey (10 minutes long) in the same lab session. Overall, the study should take about 25-30 minutes to complete.

Eligibility: Participants must be adult students (any level) who are Canadian citizens and fluent in English.

Location: Room 2512 (2nd floor), Emotion and Self Lab, Kenny Building, UBC Vancouver Campus  [2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC] OR Zoom (link will be provided after completing the screening survey)

Contact Information: If you are interested in participating, please complete the screening survey at the following link: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6EA6kPUB1JNyT6m. For any questions, please contact the Emotion and Self Lab at emoselflab.study@gmail.com.

Reimbursement/Time: You will be paid $10 for participating in a ~30-minute study.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted September 5, 2025.

A Qualitative Study on the Lived Experience of Craving in the Context of Compulsive Overeating

Researcher: Laura Bickel (Graduate Student Investigator) and Dr. Rebecca Todd (Principal Investigator; Motivated Cognition Lab, UBC)

Description: We invite you to participate in our study investigating “what it is like” to crave and feel out of control around food, focusing on those attentional processes and emotions that are likely to generate and motivate compulsive overeating. The participation involves keeping a diary via a journaling app and journaling to open-ended questions for one week.  You will also engage in an interview session that will be held at the end of the week.

Eligibility: In order to be eligible to take part in the study, you must meet the following criteria: 

  • Over 19 years of age
  • Located in the Lower Mainland
  • Fluent in English
  • Access to a smartphone or laptop
  • Willing to install the research journaling app on their mobile phone or laptop and commit to using it at least three times a day
  • Comfortable with being voice recorded in interview sessions
  • Willing to share their diary notes
  • Able to commit approximately 4 hours for one week and a 45-minutes pre-study meeting
  • At least one binge eating episode per week for the last 3 months. Binge eating is characterized by both of the following:
    a. Eating a very large amount of food within a 2-hour period
    b. Feeling out of control during those binges

Location: The pre-study meeting and interview can take place at a mutually agreed upon location such as UBC campus, a community center with a private room in the Lower Mainland (or alternatively online via Zoom).

Contact Information: For more information, please email Laura Bickel at lbickel@mail.ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time: If you agree to participate, you will be asked to dedicate approximately 45 minutes for a pre-study meeting and 4 hours of your time for journaling activities and the interview session taking place over the course of one week. Participants will receive a gift card (28$) for one yoga session at YYoga or for the book store Indigo. 

Study End Date: Ongoing.

A Tool for Designing Mid-Air Hand Interactions in VR (In-Person)

Researcher: Anika Sayara, Dongwook Yoon

Description: In this study, you will be trying out a cool Virtual Reality (VR) Prototyping Tool for Hand-Based Interactions using Meta Quest 3. After a brief orientation, you will take part in a guided design task where a member of the research team will provide you step by step instructions for creating and testing a hand based interaction in VR. Later you will fill out a short usability survey and take part in an open ended interview where you will be asked about your experience of using the proposed tool. The entire study will be completed in a single session of 60 minutes.

Eligibility:

  • Be of age 19 years or older.
  • Some experience in 3D, AR, or VR programming (whether you’re just starting out or an expert, all levels are welcome).

Location: ICICS (2366 Main Mall V6T 1Z4), Room 306A

Contact Information: For  If you are interested in participating, please complete the survey:
https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_79786lMESgr1Jjg If you have any questions, you may contact Anika at sayanika@cs.ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time: $40 for an hour long session

Study End Date: September 6, 2025

Investigation of Interactive Affective Touch: Happraisal Substudy

Researcher: Preeti Vyas, Karon MacLean

Description: The Sensory, Perception, and Interaction (SPIN) Research Group in the UBC Dept. of Computer Science is looking for participants for a study investigating the sensing, design, and interpretation of emotive interactions with a small robot. We are looking for participants who experience mental health challenges like anxiety and depression. You will be compensated $15/hr ($10 for 30 minutes, $15 for 31-60 minutes) for your participation in a single session. We will ask you to interact with stationary and/or moving small zoomorphic robot prototypes. Before the study, we will ask you to complete a screening questionnaire. During the study session, we will ask you to provide us with personal, emotionally salient stories to be incorporated into the study protocol. We will record your bio-signals (heart rate, breathing rate, etc.) and ask you to describe the motions and perceived emotional content from such interaction, and/or ask you to talk about your experiences with animals and pets, and your process of emotion regulation. This study is part of a graduate student research project. Your interactions will be video recorded, given your consent.

The study will take place between August 11th to 31st 2025.

If you are interested in participating, please complete this screening questionnaire: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5myxmoFyOxOKQDQ

Responses received before 6th August will be prioritized.

Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions at spin-studies@cs.ubc.ca

Eligibility: People 18 years or older; who experience mental health challenges like anxiety and depression

Location: X521, X-wing of ICICS Building, Department of Computer Science, at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver

Contact Information: spin-studies@cs.ubc.ca 

Reimbursement/Time: $15 per hour, expected time to complete is 1.5 hr in-person session and screening and pre-study online questionnaire (~15 minutes).

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted July 30, 2025.

The impact of stimulus complexity on learning and behaviour (in-person study)

Researcher: Dr. Helen Lu (postdoc) & Dr. Alexis Black (PI; School of Audiology & Speech Sciences, UBC)

Description: We are interested in how adults perceive and understand new languages.  Participation in this study involves two parts. During the training phase participants hear a language constructed for this study for 2 to 45 minutes.  Then we will ask you some questions about these sounds (approximately 5 minutes).  Finally, participants are asked to complete a language background questionnaire (approximately 5 minutes).

Eligibility: You must be a native speaker of both English and Cantonese with no known speech, language, or hearing disorders.

Location: Friedman Building (2177 Wesbrook Mall), Room 438, UBC.

Contact Information: helens.lu@ubc.ca (please put “Paid Study Participation” in the subject line to ensure your email does not get lost)

Reimbursement/Time: This study takes up to 1 hour and participants will be compensated $10 per 0.5 hour.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted April 16, 2025.
Stress, Cognitive Control, and Repetitive Negative Thinking

Researcher: Dr. Joelle LeMoult (PI, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Lab), Ellen Jopling and Bronwen Grocott (Co-investigators), Puloma Gupta (Study Coordinator)

Description: This study involves the following three components:

  • Task 1: Online (approximately 30 minutes) One day before the in-person laboratory session, you will be asked to complete a short online survey about your feelings, behaviours, and thinking patterns.
  • Task 2: In-Person Laboratory Session (approximately 2.5 hours) You will be invited to come to our laboratory at the University of British Columbia to complete two computer tasks and two different verbal tasks. During these tasks, we will measure psychophysiological variables, such as heart rate and skin conductance, using a non-invasive procedure. During this session, you will also be asked to provide saliva samples at 5 time points, for the purpose of examining your salivary cortisol.
  • Task 3: Online (approximately 1 hour) You will be asked to complete short surveys about your feelings and behaviours 8 times a day for 5 consecutive days. To receive these questionnaires, you will be invited to download the ExpiWell application for iOS or Android, which would provide you with a notification for each questionnaire. You must complete 5/8 daily surveys to receive full compensation for this portion of the study. If you complete less than 5/8 surveys, you will be sent a notification reminder.
  • OPTIONAL Task 4: Follow-Up Questionnaires You also have the option of being contacted to complete a brief survey 1 year after your laboratory visit. This portion of the study is optional. You will be sent an email reminder to complete the questionnaire if you consent to the follow-up.

Eligibility: 1) Participants should be above 18 years of age 2) Be able to read, speak and write in English 3) Have access to a cellular phone.

Location: In person at our lab located in UBC’s Douglas Kenny Building (2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4) 

Contact Information: If you would like more information or wish to participate in this study, please email us at controlstudy@psych.ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time: You will receive $25 for the baseline questionnaire and first session and $15 for completing 5/8 of the daily at-home notification surveys, and you will be entered into a draw for a $50 Amazon gift card for the 1-year follow-up questionnaire you complete (Task 4).

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted July 8, 2025.

XR Technology to Support Students with Mood Disorders: Co-Developing a Research Agenda

Researcher: Dr. Trisha Chakrabarty (Principal Investigator)

Description: We are interested in recruiting students with lived experience of mood disorders to brainstorm how extended reality (XR) can be used to support post-secondary students with mood disorders. Participation in the study would involve completing a brief questionnaire (5-10 mins) and your attendance at two, 2.5 hour workshops at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health (DMCBH). Workshops will entail participating in brainstorming sessions, discussions and group activities. If you would like, you can also participate in an optional virtual reality(VR) demo at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health.

Eligibility:

  • currently enrolled in an undergraduate/post-secondary degree program or have graduated in the past 12 months
  • self-identify as having lived experience with a mood disorder (depression or bipolar disorders) or have experience providing peer support to students with mood disorders

Location: The VR demo and workshops will take place at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health (2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3).

Contact Information: Please email Jenna Ramji (RA) at vrstudy.bwell@ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time: Student participants will be provided an honorarium of $30/hour as a token of appreciation for two 2.5 workshops ($75 per workshop)

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted June 24, 2025.

Attention and Cognitive Control

Researcher: Sam Good (PhD Student), James Enns (PI), Paris Wang (RA), Alice Luan (RA). 

Description: UBC Vision lab is currently recruiting healthy adults 40+ to participate in an attention study. You will be asked to play a computer “game” called the Combined Attention Systems Test (CAST). You’ll see simple visual cues and press corresponding keys on a keyboard to respond.

Eligibility: 

  • Healthy adults aged 40+
  • Have normal or corrected-to-normal hearing and vision
  • Have normal physical ability to use computer and keyboard
  • Have not been diagnosed with cognitive deficits affecting memory or attention (e.g., short term memory deficits , ADHD)

Location: UBC Vision Lab, Room 3302 on the third floor of the  Douglas T. Kenny Psychology Building. In some cases, we may be able to bring the study to you, please  email for more information.

Contact Information: If you are interested in participating, please send an email to cast.study@ubc.ca. We will be in touch with further study information and scheduling.

Reimbursement/Time: The study is expected to take 60-90 minutes to complete. Compensation is 20$/hour giftcard to either Save on Foods or Amazon. Please let us know your preference.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted June 11, 2025.

Smartphone Application for Contingency Management in Opioid Use Disorder (Focus Groups)

Researcher: Dr. Pouya Azar (PI), Jane Kim (Primary Contact)

Description: This study aims to explore the perspectives of people who use opioids on how they would feel regarding a contingency management (CM) smartphone game for opioid agonist therapy (OAT). This study will involve in-person or online/virtual focus groups. Both will start with a demonstration of mock-up wireframes of the initial app design. Participants will be asked to verbally appraise the app and discuss preferences and suggestions for future development. 

Eligibility: Participants must be on or have experience being on OAT for opioid dependence (methadone, buprenorphine/naloxone, slow-release oral morphine) and use a smartphone that can support applications.

Location: Participants will join an in-person or virtual focus group discussion for approximately 60 minutes. In-person discussions will take place at Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre. Questions will explore experiences with OAT and how smartphone applications may impact their compliance. 

Contact Information: Jane Kim, jane.kim2@ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time: $15 (1 hour)

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted June 3, 2025.

Spontaneous Craving and Neurophenomenology in Smokers (In-Person)

Researcher: Christian Schütz, PhD, MD, MPH, FRCPC (PI);  Kalina Christoff, PhD; Stefanie Todesco, PhD Student

Description: The main purpose of this study is to assess a new method to study e-cigarette users’ experience of craving. To do this, you will be asked questions about your craving regularly while watching film clips.

Eligibility:

The study team will determine your eligibility based on your responses to a survey and through potential follow-up assessments completed via phone or in-person, if required. You may be able to participate in this study if you:
  1. Are between 21 and 35 years old at the start of the study
  3. Can verify e-cigarette use status with a saliva test
  4. Willing to abstain from any nicotine use for ≥12 (greater than or equal to) hours prior to 2nd visit
  6. Are able to provide informed consent
  7. Are able to complete assessments in English

Location: If you agree to take part in this study, you will first need to complete an online survey to determine your eligibility. You may be contacted by phone or email to arrange completion of some follow-up questions (questions will be completed via phone interview). If you are then invited to and agree to participate in-person sessions, you will complete 2 in-person sessions at the University of British Columbia.

Contact Information: Please contact our research team at brainlab.scans@ubc.ca to express interest or for questions/concerns.

Reimbursement/Time: Session 1: 1 hour; $20; Session 2: 1.5 hours; $30

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted May 20, 2025.

Visuomotor Adaptation

Principal Investigator: Nicola J. Hodges

Study team / Co-Investigators:  Beverley Larssen, Carrie Peters,  Matthew Scott

Description

Participants are needed for a UBC study to investigate processes used in visuomotor adaptation. The mechanisms underlying motor learning (physical practice and observational practice) will be examined in this project. Participants will be expected to learn how to reach accurately to visually-presented targets by physically moving in a modified environment. This study is being run in the Motor Skills Lab in the School of Kinesiology by principal investigator Dr. Nicola Hodges.

It is anticipated that the study will take approximately 60-90 minutes. This time may be across one or two consecutive days. A $15 honorarium will be provided upon completion of the study.

Eligibility:

We are looking for individuals who are/have:

Between ages 18-50 years old

Right-hand dominant for most skills

Normal or corrected-to-normal vision

No existing injury to the right hand

No known physical disorders or injuries that impede full body movement

No known neurological disorders

Must be able to understand instructions written and spoken in English

Location: War Memorial Gym, 6081 University Blvd, Vancouver BC

Contact Information: A resume is not required to partake in the study, we simply ask that participants meet all the qualifications listed. If you meet these qualifications, please email kin.msl@ubc.ca and include “VMA study” in the subject line. In your email, please include a UBC email address (if available), a phone number, and your availability over the next 2 weeks.


Reimbursement/Time: 

It is anticipated that the study will take approximately 60-90 minutes. This time may be across one or two consecutive days. A $15 honorarium will be provided upon completion of the study.

Study end date: Ongoing. Posted June 19 2024.

The neurodevelopmental trajectory of youth with anorexia nervosa: A Canada-wide longitudinal multi-modal imaging study (in-person)

Researcher: Dr. Jennifer Coelho (UBC, local PI), Dr. Linda Booij (Douglas Mental Health Institute, PI)

Description: The aim of the study is to investigate brain processes in a large sample of youth with Anorexia Nervosa (AN), and reversibility of AN-associated brain changes in remission. Participants will complete questionnaires at 4 time points and undergo an MRI scan and clinical interview at the start of the study, and after 12 months.

Eligibility: Youth 12-18 years old of any ethnicity, gender, or sex,  who are in good physical health with no mental health problems or a personal/family history of eating disorders. Youth must not have any MRI contraindications (e.g. no orthodontic braces, pacemaker, stents etc.). Eligibility screening will be conducted with a research assistant.

Location: BC Children’s Hospital (4500 Oak St, Vancouver, BC)

Contact Information: Please email edresearch@bcchr.ca and a research assistant will be in contact with you.

Reimbursement/Time: Participation involves four appointments:

  • Appointment 1 (in-person): MRI scan, questionnaires, and interview
  • Appointment 2 (virtual): Questionnaires
  • Appointment 3 (virtual): Questionnaires
  • Appointment 4 (in-person): MRI scan, questionnaires, and interview

Participants will receive $60 for appointments 1 and 4, and $25 after completing the questionnaires at appointment 2 and 3. In total they will receive $170 for their participation.

Study End Date: December 2026
Perceiving Objects and Events A (in-lab)

Researcher: Jasmindeep Kaur, Dr. Joan D. Ongchoco (PI)

Description: You will be asked to do computer-based tasks that will involve responding to shapes, images, and/or tones using the keyboard and mouse. This study will take place at Kenny 1202. You can knock and the researcher will come out to get you set-up!

Eligibility: 18 – 35 years old, normal or corrected-to-normal vision, fluent in English. Should be able to do computer-based tasks.

Location: Room 1202 (ground floor), Douglas T. Kenny Building  2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4

Contact Information: To participate, please email Jasmindeep Kaur at jkaur59@student.ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time: The study will take 60mins and the participant will be paid CAD $15

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted March 27.
Pointing Task II

Researcher: Veronica Dudarev, PhD, James Enns, PhD

Description: We are looking for people who are diagnosed with autism to participate in our study on the role of attention, motor coordination and cognitive control in social interactions. You will be asked to do a short computer task and fill out a questionnaire.

Eligibility: You must be at least 18 years of age and have normal vision (or corrected to normal vision).

Location: This is a lab study that takes place at the Vision lab, located in the Kenny building, 2136 West Mall, room 3302.

Contact Information: If you are interested please email Veronica Dudarev at vdudarev@mail.ubc.ca 

Reimbursement/Time: The study will take up to 30 minutes. You will receive $5.

Study End Date: Ongoing.

Movie Watching Brain MRI Study

Researcher: Tamara Vanderwal (PI), Daria Hammond (RA)

Description: Researchers at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute are seeking healthy children for a Movie fMRI Test-Retest Study. We are interested in testing a new method of MRI brain scan alignment in children. Participants will watch G-rated movie clips during an MRI brain scan and complete a series of tasks and games.

Eligibility:

  • ​Children ages 6-12
  • No neurological or psychiatric disorders
  • Not taking any medications that affect the brain.
  • Fluent in English.
  • Normal or corrected-to-normal vision.

Location: BC Children’s Hospital (4500 Oak St, Vancouver, BC)

Contact Information: If you’re interested in and meet eligibility criteria, please contact movielab@bcch.ca or fill out our participant interest form (https://rc.bcchr.ca/redcap/surveys/?s=CDE893KT739JPN3E).

Reimbursement/Time: Participants will first take part in a virtual screening session. If they are eligible, participants will complete 2 study sessions at BC Children’s Hospital, each about 3 hours long. They will receive $60 compensation, as well as an image of their brain. 

Study End Date: October 31st, 2026.

Mandarin-English Cross-linguistic Connections (in-person)

Researcher: Prof. Molly Babel (PI); Chenxi Xu (PhD Student); Sarah Ong (Undergraduate student assistant)

Description: In this experiment, listeners will listen to Mandarin and English tokens and make judgments while their accuracy and response time will be measured. They will also fill in a questionnaire about their language experience.

Eligibility: Mandarin-English bilinguals with certain proficiency as described below are eligible to participate. No Chinese literacy is required.

Proficiency requirement: For both Mandarin and English, you can understand the main points of clear input on familiar matters. You can deal with topics that are likely to arise in social situations. For example, you can describe experiences, events, and your hopes and dreams.

Location: SpeechInContext Lab at Store Road Annex, 6368 Stores Road, UBC (next to Orchard Commons).

Contact Information: If you want to participate in this study, please fill in the sign-up form https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9MN9cjlH87iip3o or connect Chenxi Xu through xcx23xcx@student.ubc.ca. We will schedule a slot with you soon!

Reimbursement/Time: The study will take up to 60 minutes, and the participants will be compensated with CAD 15 in cash.

Study End Date: Ongoing.

Chronic pain experiences in autistic young people

Researcher: Dr. Katelynn Boerner (Lead Researcher), Dr. Tim Oberlander (Principal Investigator)

Description: Our research team at BC Children’s Hospital and the University of British Columbia are looking to understand the perspectives of autistic children and young people who live with chronic pain. The study contains online questionnaires and an online interview. Youth can skip any questions that they don’t want to answer, participate with camera on or off, type answers in the chat if they prefer, have a support person with them, use any communication tool they are most comfortable with, and privacy will be protected throughout. Accommodations can be made for non-verbal and non-English speaking participants.

Eligibility: We are looking for youth who:
1) Have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder
2) Have chronic pain (pain that has lasted 3 months or longer)
3) Live in British Columbia
4) Are between 13 and 25 years old

We are also looking for parents of autistic young people who live with chronic pain (25 years or younger) to take part in an interview study.

Location:Online

Contact Information: If you or someone you know might be interested in participating, please contact Jessica Luu at ASD&Pain@bcchr.ca or 604-875-2000 ext. 5445

Reimbursement/Time: Participating in this study will take about 1.5-2 hours. Youth will receive a $50 gift card for completing the study.

Study End Date: December 31, 2025.

Moderators of Performance in Varsity Athletes

Researcher: Ria Gill (student), Dr. Evelyn Stewart (supervisor).

Description: There are many variables that play into sport performance of university athletes: stress, sleep, nutrition, physical and mental health all factor into that tiniest sliver of advantage that defines a win. This survey examines what beliefs and behaviors a student varsity athlete possesses, and how those qualities affect performance in both school and sport. This study can be completed entirely online.

Eligibility:

  • A varsity athlete competing in USPORTS
  • At least 19 years of age or older
  • Fluent English

Location: Online (RedCap). Please visit this link https://rc.bcchr.ca/redcap/surveys/?s=8MD74F4XF8JHRDPC

Contact Information: If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact Ria Gill at riagill@student.ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time: The study is estimated to take 5 minutes. Participants will receive an honorarium in the form of a $10 gift card.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted December 4, 2024.
UBC Family Study

Researcher: Dr. Joelle LeMoult, Taylyn Jameson, Bronwen Grocott, Katerina Rnic, and Seon Hong

Description: Learning to regulate one’s emotions is an important part of growing up. In this study, we want to better understand how families and friends influence pre-teens’ emotional development and wellbeing. At this stage of the study, we are looking for pre-teens and their caregiver to come to complete some computer tasks and answer questions about their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours during one remote Zoom session and one in-person session at UBC Vancouver.

Eligibility: Children aged 10-12 and their caregiver, speak English fluently, able to attend in person session at UBC campus

Location: Session 1 takes place via Zoom. Session 2 will take place in the Kenny Building on UBC Campus.

Contact Information: Email: familystudy@psych.ubc.ca; website + booking link: https://blogs.ubc.ca/familystudy/

Reimbursement/Time: Each of the 2 sessions will be between 2-3 hours, and families will be given a $120 honorarium for participation in addition to reimbursement of parking or bus fees for the in person session.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted November 27, 2024.
Understanding how older adults learn software tasks (in-person)

Researcher: Dr. Joanna McGrenere (Principal Investigator), Teerapaun Tanprasert and Manushree Singhania

Description: We are conducting a study to understand the learning behavior of older adults while informally learning and doing new software tasks. The study session will be about 1.5 to 2 hours long, where participants will learn some new tasks on a laptop provided by us and reflect on their learning experience. The study will be conducted in-person in Vancouver at UBC. The session will be audio/video recorded.

Eligibility:

We are looking for in-person individual participants who are:

  • Age 55+
  • Speaks English Fluently
  • Ability to operate a computer (laptop or desktop, not a smartphone or a tablet)

Location: The study will be conducted at a quiet location at University of British Columbia,Vancouver.

Contact Information: If you meet the criteria above and are interested in participating, please fill this short screening survey: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4SWJ8sx55NPtihE For more information, please email ms3@student.ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time: Each participant will receive 40 CAD honorarium (in cash or via Interac e-Transfer) for participating in the 1.5 to 2-hour session.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Oct 27 2024.
Cannabidiol Adjunctive Therapy for Acute Bipolar Depression: A Randomized Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled Trial (in-person study)

Researcher: Lakshmi Yatham (Principal Investigator), Shannon Reid (Research Coordinator)

Description: This study is examining whether cannabidiol (also known as CBD) is effective in treating episodes of depression in people diagnosed with bipolar disorder when added to their regular medications for 6 weeks. Participants visit the clinic for a screening visit and a baseline visit, as well as visits at week 2, 4, and 6 to complete clinical assessments with a study doctor, laboratory tests, and answer questionnaires. Eligible participants will receive either placebo (i.e. an inactive substance) or 200-600mg of CBD to take daily for 6 weeks. The assignment to placebo vs CBD group is random, and neither the participant nor the study staff will know to which treatment group the participant has been assigned.

Eligibility: Individuals who meet the following criteria are eligible to participate:

·         Aged 19-70 years

·         Diagnosed with bipolar disorder

·         Currently experiencing depression

·         Currently taking medication for mood stabilization (e.g. lithium, epival/valproate, risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, aripiprazole, ziprasidone, and/or lamotrigine)

Individuals meeting any of the following criteria are not eligible to participate in this trial:

·         Current or past month daily use of CBD/cannabis

·         Have met criteria for an alcohol/substance use disorder within the past 6 months

·         Are pregnant or lactating

Location: Mood Disorders Centre (2nd floor of UBC Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health), 2215 Wesbrook Mall

Contact Information: Please email or call the study coordinator at bipolar.research@ubc.ca or (604) 822-8045

Reimbursement/Time: The total time commitment required for the study is approximately 7-8 hours over 8-10 weeks, and participants will be compensated for their time and travel expenses.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Oct 31 2023

General Surface Touch Interaction Techniques using IR Halo Effect

Researcher: Ziyi (Kaseya) Xia (Contact, Graduate Research Assistant), Dr. Robert Xiao (PI)

Description: You will be asked to interact with projected graphical objects on some day-to-day surfaces and finish a series of virtual keyboard phrase typing tasks to help evaluate our system. Your hands will be recorded for further analysis during the interaction. We will also ask you for your impression of the interaction experience by filling out a survey.

Eligibility:

·      Inclusion Criteria:

o   18-50 years old

o   Be able to communicate in English

o   Used mobile phone to type words regularly

·      Exclusion Criteria:

o   Blindness and Deafness

 

Location: ICICS 509x

Contact Information: Kaseya Xia (zxia0101@student.ubc.ca), 778-680-6770

Reimbursement/Time: Your participation will take approximately 1h and will be done in our lab in the ICICS building. You will be compensated $16 for your participation.

Study End Date: September 5th, 2024

 Social Media and Perceptions Study (SMAP)
Researcher: Dr. Lauren Human (PI)
Description: This study is examining first impressions based on social media profiles. You will be asked to view up to 15 social media profiles and rate their personalities and complete questionnaires about your own personality. The entire study will be conducted remotely via an online questionnaire we ask that you complete the study in one sitting.
Eligibility:
Age 18 years or older
Identify as male
Student attending a Canadian University who can provide a valid student email
Location: To participate in the online survey, please first complete the following eligibility questionnaire: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9SokxcPFuRkW1mK
Contact Information: If you have any questions, please email human.lab@ubc.ca
Reimbursement/Time: The survey takes approximately 2 hours to complete. You will be compensated in the form of a $20 Amazon.ca or Starbucks Canada e-gift card.
Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted July 29 2024.
Exploring the Perceptions and Health Impacts of Climate Change among LGBTQIA+ People (virtual)

Researcher:

Shelby Yamamoto (Primary Investigator), Sammy Lowe (Co-Investigator), Ishwar Tiwari (Postdoc), Sachit Gurung (RA), Nandia Shirchindorj (RA)

Description: The CHEER Lab is investigating the perceptions and health impacts of climate change amongst LGBTQIA+ identifying adults (≥18 years). We are interested in learning about the physical and mental health impacts of climate change.

Participants will join a virtual focus group discussion for approximately 60 minutes. Questions will focus on an overall discussion of climate change and health, personal lived experience with climate change, climate change information and resources, and climate hope and resilience.

Eligibility:

We are looking for:

  • LGBTQIA+ adults, who are 18 or over
  • Living in British Columbia or Alberta
  • Have access to the Internet 
Location: Online/Zoom
Contact information: Please fill out this form if interested in participating. For more information, contact Sammy at cheerlab@ualberta.ca.
Reimbursement/Time: Participants will receive a $10 gift card. The discussion should take approximately 60 minutes.
Study end date: Ongoing. Posted July 4 2024.
Designing cognitively accessible financial technology to support people as they age (in-person or Zoom design sessions)

Researcher: Dr Jiamin (Carrie) Dai, Postdoctoral Fellow, Co-Investigator, Dr Joanna McGrenere, Professor, Principal Investigator, Department of Computer Science, University of British Columbia

Description: We are conducting a study to help design future financial technologies that are easier to use for older adults. Each design session will involve 2–5 participants to discuss fictional user profiles (personas) and critique and sketch features for online banking and digital payment scenarios. The design session will be audio-recorded. You will be asked to fill in a short background questionnaire at the end.

Eligibility: Older adults (aged 65+) and family members (spouses or adult children) who help with technology or banking, joining as pairs or individually

– Both have used online banking or digital payment at least once in the past year

– Both are able to read, write, and communicate verbally in English

We particularly welcome older adults:

– who are experiencing confusion or memory loss with aging

– who have been diagnosed by a medical professional with mild cognitive impairment or early-middle stage dementia

Location: The study will be conducted online (via Zoom) or in person at a place of mutual convenience in Vancouver (e.g., a community centre or a UBC research lab).

Contact Information: Dr Jiamin (Carrie) Dai, jiamin.dai@ubc.ca (preferred), 514-756-4580

Reimbursement/Time: $30 honorarium per person (in cash or via Interac e-Transfer) for joining a 1.5-hour design session.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted 30 May 2024.

Genetic Architecture of Youth Anxiety (GAYA)

Researcher: Dr. S. Evelyn Stewart (PI)

Description: Anxiety disorders can significantly interfere with youth’s lives, so it is important to better understand how and why these disorders develop through mechanisms like genetics. To better understand the development of anxiety disorders among youth, we need to include larger samples of youth in current genetic research.
Participants in the GAYA study will complete questionnaires online, provide a DNA saliva sample, and play two phone games on the GAYA app.You can complete this study entirely at home if you wish, and you will be able to complete the study in less than 45 minutes.

Eligibility:

– 10-19 years of age

– Speak English

– Able to use a smartphone

Location: Online or at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute
938 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4

Contact Information: If you are interested in participating, please contact the study team at GAYA@bcchr.ca.

Reimbursement/Time: What participants will be paid $15 after completing the study. The study would take approximately 45 minutes to complete

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted April 10 2024.

Healthy Lifestyle Intervention (in-person)
Researcher: Alfredo Sherman (Student lead), Juliet Fowler, Taha Liaqat, Vasily Vakorin, Bernhard Riecke, Sylvain Moreno (Principal Investigator)
Description: Are you interested in improving your lifestyle through a month-long healthy lifestyle intervention? This study investigates changes in the brain after completing a healthy lifestyle intervention, and explores how the experience of the intervention might affect its impact on the brain. The study comprises three in-person sessions, assessments, and weekly remote check-ins. The intervention will take place during your everyday activities.
Eligibility: You may be able to participate if:
  • You are between 18 and 40 years old
  • You have no known significant health problems
  • You are not currently participating in a health intervention
  • You do less than 1 day of weekly moderate exercise
  • You are right-handed
  • You have normal or corrected-to-normal vision
Location: Simon Fraser University, Surrey Campus, 250-13450 102 Ave, Surrey, BC V3T 0A3. Room SRYC 3760, Computational Neuroscience Research Lab, School of Interactive Arts and Technology.
Contact Information: If interested, please complete the pre-screening survey. The survey includes further details. If you have any questions, please email the student lead at alfredo_sherman@sfu.ca. Pre-screening survey link: https://forms.gle/EJCtLWPzawWNHGof9
Reimbursement/Time: Participants who successfully complete the intervention will receive up to $210 and participate in a raffle to win one Apple Watch. This study includes two in-person assessments, one in-person instruction session, and four weekly remote check-ins. The in-person assessments will take place before and after the intervention. Both will have an approximate duration of 60 to 120 minutes. The in-person training session will be approximately 30 minutes long. The remote check-ins will occur remotely over a secured Zoom meeting every week and will be around 5 to 15 minutes long. The healthy lifestyle intervention will take place during your everyday activities during the month for the intervention.
Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Mar 16 2024.
Career Development in Recovery Study

Researcher: Dr. Robinder Bedi

Description: Eight in-person group counselling sessions involving discussions on career development for individuals with a history of problematic substance use.

Eligibility:

  • Participants will be adults, defined as being at least 19 years old.
  • Participants must have previously experienced problematic substance use, but no severe problems with substances in the last year.

Location: Online. Participants must be located in BC or Alberta.

Contact Information: If you meet the requirements mentioned above, please email bedi.lab1@ubc.ca to indicate interest. Alternatively, you can leave us a message at 604 822 8953 or complete this contact form:https://bit.ly/CareerStudyContact. A researcher will contact you to provide more information about the study and to obtain information to determine eligibility (takes approximately 20 minutes).

Reimbursement/Time: Up to $160 upon completion of a set of questionnaires before, after, and at 3-months and 9-months after the groups.

Study End Date: Ongoing until July 2026. Posted Mar 16 2024.

Computational principles of motor skill (In-person)
Researcher: Amanda Arteaga, Gregg Eschelmuller, Davin Hu, Rebecca Niven, Annika Szarka, Romeo Chua (Co-I), J. Timothy Inglis (Co-I), Hyosub Kim (PI)
Description: Participation in this study involves making reaching movements to visual targets in a simple video game-like setting. Your participation will help us advance our understanding of how the human motor system controls reaching movements and utilizes different types of sensory feedback for this purpose.
Eligibility: We are looking for healthy volunteers aged 18-35 with normal or corrected-to-normal vision (i.e., 20/20 with glasses or contacts) and no known history of neurological impairment.
Location: Room 203, Osborne Ctr Unit 2, 6108 Thunderbird Blvd, UBC Vancouver Campus
Contact Information: If you are interested in participating, please send an email to ccm.lab@ubc.ca. We will be in touch with further study information and scheduling.
Reimbursement/Time: The study involves an approximately 90-120 minute test session. Participants will receive a $15 honorarium. If interested, participants may be asked to return for 1-2 additional test sessions of similar length and receive an additional $15 honorarium for each session.
Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Feb 7 2024.
Cognition Under Tension:  A Qualitative Study on the Lived Experience of Being In & Out of Control

Researcher: Laura Bickel (Graduate Student Investigator) and Dr. Rebecca Todd (Principal Investigator; Motivated Cognition Lab, UBC)

Description:

We invite you to participate in our study investigating “what it is like” to feel in control and out of control around food, focusing on those attentional processes and emotions that are likely to generate and motivate restrictive eating and compulsive patterns of overeating. The participation involves keeping a diary via What’s App and journaling to open-ended questions over three weeks.  You will also engage in three interview sessions that will be held at the end of each week.

Eligibility: In order to be eligible to take part in the study, you must meet the following criteria:

– Must be over 19 years of age

– Must be fluent in English

– Must be located in Metro Vancouver

– Must have access to a smartphone or laptop

– Must have What’s App installed on your mobile phone or laptop and commit to using it at least three times a day

– Must be comfortable with being voice recorded in interview sessions

– Must be willing to share your What’s App diary notes

– Must be able to commit approximately 3 hours per week for 3 weeks (a total of 9 hours) and a 30 minute pre-study meeting

– Must experience at least one binge eating episode per week

Location:

The journaling may take place on UBC campus, at participant’s home or in the field. The interview sessions will take place either on UBC campus, via Zoom, or at participant’s home.

Contact Information:

For more information, please email Laura Bickel at lbickel@mail.ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time:

If you agree to participate, you will be asked to dedicate approximately 9 hours of your time for journaling activities and interview sessions taking place across three weeks (3 hours per week). Participants will receive a gift card (28$) for one yoga session at YYoga or for the book store Indigo.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Jan 28, 2024

 

Social networks of adults 50 years and older in BC

Researcher: Primary Investigator- Dr. Carolyn Szostak

Honour’s Student – Harshita Gupta

Directed Studies Student- Siu Lin Rodriguez

Description: Researchers from UBC Okanagan are interested in learning more about the social networks of adults 50 years and older. We hope to gain insight into the social connections that make up the social networks to help us better understand how to improve the quality of these relationships and, hopefully, enhance people’s well-being.

Eligibility: – 

1. Are you 50 years of age or older?
2. Do you live in BC? We are looking for people who live in rural/remote AND urban/semi-urban communities within BC.
3. Do you have a mental health concern, such as symptoms of depression, anxiety, or problems with drug or alcohol use?

If you answered yes to these questions, you are eligible to participate.

Location: To participate, please click on the following link:  https://bit.ly/SocialNetworks2023

Contact Information: If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact: Harshita Gupta (harshi11@student.ubc.ca)

Reimbursement/Time: Survey participants will have the opportunity to enter a draw for a chance to win one of five prizes!
Most people are able to complete the survey in about 1.5 hours. The exact time will depend upon how many people are in your social network.

Study End Date: Ongoing study. Posted on Jan 16, 2024.
Sensorimotor Control and Adaptation of Voluntary Movement (In-person)

Researcher: Gregg Eschelmuller, Annika Szarka, Nick Butler, Tim Inglis (Co-I), Hyosub Kim (Co-I), Romeo Chua (PI)

Description: We are conducting studies to examine the use of vision and limb position sense in movement control. We are interested in how we prepare, control, and adapt our voluntary movements.  In this study, you will be asked to make reaching movements in response to visual targets. Your primary goal will be to make target-directed reaches under a variety of sensory conditions. A computer-controlled motion analysis system will be used to monitor eye and hand movements. Visual and position sense stimuli will be presented via visual displays and muscle vibration.

Eligibility: You may be able to participate if:

  • Age 18-40
  • Have normal or corrected vision
  • No known neurological disorder

Location: Room 202, Osborne Ctr Unit 2, 6108 Thunderbird Blvd, UBC Vancouver Campus

Contact Information: If you are interested in participating, please send an email to pmd.lab@ubc.ca. We will be in touch with further study information and scheduling.

Reimbursement/Time: The study consists of one session of testing, approximately 60-75 minutes. Participants will receive a $10 honorarium for participation.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Jan 3 2024.

The Social Communication, Historical Experiences, Memory and Affect (SCHEMA) Study for Men

Researcher: Dr. Connor Kerns (PI), Dr. Daniela Palombo (Co-PI), Dr. Jason Rights (Co-PI), Dr. Veronica Dudarev (Collaborator)

Description: We would like to invite autistic and non-autistic young adults to help us better understand the relationship between social and emotional processing and well-being in young adulthood. This is a three-part study that includes one in-person visit at UBC (1-2 hours) and two online sessions (45 minutes each).

  • Part 1: Approximately 5 days prior to your scheduled in-person visit (study part 2), you will be asked to complete some online questionnaires at home.
  • Part 2: The second part of the study will involve a testing session at our lab. During this session, you will complete an online questionnaire about your emotions and some cognitive tasks, including one that involves a computer-based eye tracker. Please note that one of the cognitive tasks will involve some images that may be disturbing or upsetting.
  • Part 3: For the third part of the study, you will be asked to complete some computer-based cognitive tasks at home.

Approximately, 5 days prior to your scheduled visit, we will send you a link to the sample images in the welcome email.

Eligibility:

Identifies as a man; 18-30 yrs old; fluent in English; and does not have/meet any of the following conditions:

  • colour blindness
  • documented intellectual disability
  • psychotic disorder
  • history of psychosis
  • seizure, epilepsy, and/or head injury (last 6 months)
  • eye movement abnormalities
  • wears glasses with more than one power

Location:

  • Parts 1 and 3 of the study are completed online (45 mins each).
  • Part 2 is a 1-2 hour in-person lab visit at: Room 4207, Douglas T. Kenny Building (2136 West Mall, Vancouver BC, V6T1Z4)

Contact Information: If you’re interested, please complete a brief screening survey: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0k4rlcA33CLdZKm. If eligible, we will email you a link to Part 1 of the study and schedule you for Part 2 (in-person visit) of the study.

Please contact schemastudy@psych.ubc.ca if you would like to view the consent form prior to signing up for the study or if you have any questions regarding the study.

Reimbursement/Time: You will receive $15 per hour as an Amazon gift card. The study will take approximately 2.5 hours (for non-autistic participants) or 3.5 hours (for autistic participants).

Study End Date: Ongoing (until 2026). Posted Oct 30 2023.

The vocational experience of autistic adults: A self-deterministic perspective (Online Study)

Researcher: Talia Vacca, Dr. Charles Chen (PI) 

Description: We are conducting a research study on vocational experiences in autism. The purpose of this study is to better understand the career experiences of individuals with a confirmed autism diagnosis. We are looking to conduct virtual interviews with a total of 15 individuals who would like to share their work experience, with the ultimate goal of understanding how their diagnosis, motivations and meaning, influence their career outcomes and work experience.  

Eligibility:

  • Between 18 and 25 years of age 
  • Have a confirmed diagnosis from a psychiatrist or psychologist
  • Have worked for a minimum of 2 consecutive months within the last 5 years
  • Fluent in English, as interviews will be conducted in English

Location: Online (Microsoft Teams) 

Contact Information: Individuals who are interested in participating can contact the researcher by email at vocationinautism@gmail.com to learn more about the study.  

Reimbursement/Time: The interview will last approximately 1 hour. Participants will receive $10 for their time. 

Study End Date: Ongoing.  

Disruptive Technologies and Negative Heritage: Evaluating the Social and Economic Impacts of the 3D printed Triumphal Arch of Palmyra (In-person Study)

Researcher: Dr. Lindsay Der (PI); Pamela Zamora Quesada (RA), Rachel Thibeault (RA).

Description: We are looking for Syrian citizens for a research study on Syrian cultural heritage. Eligible participants will be invited to attend in-person focus group sessions for up to two hours and/or in-person individual interviews for up to three hours (interviews may be divided into different sessions if it is convenient for participants). In the focus groups, participants will be asked their views and thoughts on cultural heritage, the impact of the Syrian civil war on cultural heritage and any work done to mitigate such destruction. In the interview, participants will be asked more in-depth questions about the 3D-printed Triumphal Arch of Palmyra, cultural heritage and cultural diplomacy.

Eligibility:

  • Adults, 19 years old or older.

  • Self-identified Syrian nationals.

  • Fluent in English and/or Arabic.

Location: Focus groups will primarily take place ace in Vancouver and Surrey. Interviews will take place in Metro Vancouver.

Contact Information: Dr. Lindsay Der, lindsay.der@ubc.ca.

Reimbursement/Time: Selected participants will be compensated $16.75 per hour.

Study End Date: Ongoing.

An Exploration of Parents with ADHD and Their Experiences of Raising Children with ADHD (online)

Researcher: Bethany Ee (PhD Candidate) & Dr. Laurie Ford (PI)

Description:This study aims to explore and describe the lived experiences of mothers with ADHD while they raise a child with ADHD. While there is a lot of research documenting the difficulties that families with ADHD experience, we hope to explore the potential strengths that mothers with ADHD have when it comes to parenting their child with ADHD. The study will require participating in a Zoom interview (60mins) and completing four short journal entries (5-10mins).

Eligibility:Mothers with ADHD, who have a biological child with ADHD between the ages of 6 to 12 years old.

Location:online

Contact Information:BethanyE@student.ubc.ca

Reimbursement/Time:Participants will receive an honorarium in the form of a $25 Amazon gift card

Study End Date: Ongoing

Visual Anticipation in Volleyball

Researcher: Ellie Saplywy (RA), Ryan Jinn (RA), Matt Krueger, Dr. Matthew Scott, and Dr. Nicola Hodges (PI; School of Kinesiology, UBC)

Description: This study will require participants to come to the War Memorial Gym for a testing session taking up to 1 hour. In this experiment, participants will be shown various videos of offensive volleyball plays that will be occluded (edited) at various points in time to prevent information about ball flight. Participants will be asked to respond on force plates (pressure sensitive mats) about the direction of the ball (left, right, centre/straight-up).

Participants will be reimbursed $15 minimum for participation in 1 testing session (or $15.65/hr whichever is more depending on time).

No resume is required, we simply as that you meet all the listed qualifications. If you meet these qualifications, please email kin.msl@ubc.ca with the subject line “Volleyball anticipation“. In your email, please include your ubc email if applicable, a phone number and your availability over the coming weeks.  Thank you for your interest!

Eligibility: In order to participate in this study, you must meet all of the following requirements:

  • Males and females between ages 19-35 years
  • Must have some experience playing volleyball. We are looking for individuals of two different experience types. You may participate if you have NOT played post-secondary/competitive volleyball (i.e., only played recreationally). Alternatively, you can partake if you are have played at the Collegiate or USport level in Canada (high level of experience).
  • Normal or corrected-to-normal vision
  • No existing injury to lower limbs and no known neurological disorder
  • Good understanding of English instructions

Location: 300A in the War Memorial Gym (6081 University Blvd; http://www.maps.ubc.ca/PROD/index_detail.php?locat1=428).

Contact Information: If you meet the eligibility criteria, please email kin.msl@ubc.ca and include “Volleyball” in the subject line. In your email, please include a UBC email (if available), a phone number, your gender and availability over the next two weeks.

Reimbursement/Time: The study is estimated to take up to 1 hour across one visit. Participants will be reimbursed $15.65 per hour.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted Apr 12, 2023

Fostering Empathy through Intergenerational Storytelling in Embodied Virtual Reality

Researcher: Chenxinran Elise Shen (MSC student), Joanna McGrenere, Dongwook Yoon

Description: 

The study involves using our experimental VR system to switch bodies and discuss life events in different points of views. We will ask the participants to do the following:

(1) Participants are required to complete an online screening survey to confirm their eligibility.

(2) A 20-minute Zoom meeting will be scheduled with the older adult participant to share information about their memorable life events and relevant photos.

(3) Participants will be invited to attend a 30-minute VR session at the UBC lab, where the older adult participant will share their life event in a designed VR space to the younger participant.

(4) After the VR session, participants will be interviewed for 20 minutes about their experience in a semi-structured format.

Eligibility:

  • Participants must have at least one generational gap (e.g. parent and child, grandparent and grandchild, uncle and niece)
  • Both participants must be 18 years or older and able to effectively communicate in English.
  • The older family member will share life stories and provide relevant photos. Participants will also need to provide photo(s) of their front face for VR avatar modeling

Location: Room x521, Department of Computer Science (2366 Main Mall #201, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4)

Contact Information: If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact  Chenxinran Shen at elise007@cs.ubc.ca or text me at 4379730599.

Reimbursement/Time: You and your family member will receive $80 in total via e-transfer for your commitment to the project, at a prorated amount. We will cover the transportation expense with a cap at $50.

Study End Date: Ongoing, posted March 29, 2023.

Emerging Adults’ Experience of Caring for Parents with Advanced Disease (Online Study)

Researcher: Eryn Tong, Dr. Abby Goldstein (PI)

Description: We are currently conducting a study to better understand the experience of emerging adults caring for parents living with an incurable, terminal illness. This study is being conducted at the University of Toronto. Interested individuals will be invited to participate in a one-to-one interview lasting approximately 60 minutes. We are hoping to recruit a range of individuals with diverse experiences.

Eligibility:

  • Between 18 and 29 years of age
  • Currently providing unpaid support to a parent living with an incurable, terminal medical condition
  • Living in Canada
  • Fluent in English

Location: Online (Microsoft Teams)

Contact Information: Please include “Caregiving Study” in the subject line; Eryn Tong eryn.tong@mail.utoronto.ca

Reimbursement/Time: The interview will last approximately 1 hour. Participants will receive a $20 gift card for their time.

Study End Date: Ongoing. Posted 2023 Feb 7

Advertise on the List

If you have paid studies you want to list on the mailing list/listserv, please send an email to Marisa Nelson (marisa.nelson@ubc.ca) with the following information. Please send your listing plain-text in an email with 1) ethics approval attachment; 2) “Paid study posting” in the email subject to ensure your email does not get lost.

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.

Eligibility: Any restrictions, such as if you only want students, psych majors, a certain age, etc.

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, a scheduling link (if eligible) so participants can organize a time to participate

Reimbursement/Time: What participants will be paid and how long will the study take

Study End Date: When the study will be removed from the list. Studies labelled ongoing will remain on the list for one year or until you contact Talia to remove them.

Please note: This list is a posting service only. All studies affiliated with UBC involving human participants are required to have a research ethics certificate before using this service and the use of this site needs to be specifically outlined in the research ethics application. It is the responsibility of the researcher to ensure proper ethics guidelines are being followed in using this list as an advertising space. For information on UBC Research Ethics, consult the Office of Research Ethics website. This list is hosted online by, but not affiliated with, the Psychology Graduate Student Council.