Psychology Psychology Participation Pool

As a student in PSY-001 at Westmont College, you are required to participate as a subject in psychological research. This may involve a variety of activities.

Please note that ONLY those activities pre-approved by your instructor will satisfy the requirement.

Research Study Sign Up for PSY 001 Students

Why do PSY-001 students participate in the participation pool?

Some reasons include:

  • Your participation in psychological research advances the field of psychology.
  • Your participation helps faculty and upper-division students complete research projects.
  • Your participation contributes to your own understanding of scientific methods, psychological phenomena, and the academic discipline of psychology. To this end, you will receive a written debriefing from the experimenters for each study in which you participate.

How do I satisfy this course requirement?

  • Studies will be made available through the online Psychology Participation Pool.  You should check this website often and sign up well in advance of the study date.
  • You must complete enough research studies to earn at least five participation credits throughout the semester.  Each participation credit is worth ten points towards your grade if completed by the deadline.
  • Credits awarded per study will vary depending on estimated time commitment.  A study worth one participation credit will typically take 20 to 60 minutes of your time.  Longer studies are worth more credits. 

How do I sign up for a research study?

  • Sign up for studies using the online Psychology Participation Pool.  Check this website often since new studies may be posted at any time.
  • Read the study description carefully.  Some studies are online while other studies require in-person attendance at an on-campus location.
  • Click on the "Available" button to complete the sign-up process.

What if I sign up for a study but fail to attend?

  • Missing your study time or arriving too late for the study to be completed will result in a loss of one credit.
  • Some instructors will allow you to recover some lost credits if you reschedule and participate in the study you missed.
  • If you sign up for a study but realize you cannot attend, you must cancel at least 24 hours in advance through the Participation Pool website.  Canceling less than 24 hours in advance will count as a "no show" and result in a loss of a credit.

What if I don't want to be a participant?

  • Speak to your instructor at the beginning of the semester to receive an alternative writing assignment if you are unable or unwilling to participate in experiments.

What if I don't complete the required number of studies/assignments?

  • You must complete at least five research credits throughout the semester.  
  • Every credit you fail to complete by the assigned deadline will result in a loss of grade points.  Refer to your syllabus for details.

What if there aren't enough studies available?

  • If studies are available but not at a time convenient for you, you must complete alternative assignments.
  • If there are genuinely not enough studies available, let the psychology lab coordinator know.  He/she may post additional studies or your instructor will provide alternative activities to earn the required number of credits.

How do I know that these studies conform to ethical guidelines?

  • An Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviews all Westmont studies for ethical methodology.
  • Student researchers are supervised by a Westmont professor in addition to an IRB review of their research and study design.

What if I have questions?

Feel free to talk with your course instructor or the Chair of the Psychology Department, Dr. Carmel Saad, csaad@westmont.edu, x6884.