A Human Participant Poll exists in the Department of Psychology for two main reasons. Both are related to the fact that, as a research university, we believe that excellence in teaching goes hand in hand with excellence in research. As a psychology department, much of our research is carried out on young adult volunteers. so the first reason is to allow us to continue in our research - without your help we could not be involved at the cutting edge of research. The second reason is to give you some first hand exposure to human psychology research, and we require that all participation in experiments will include some instructional component.
How Much? Many instructors will either require or allow research participation for extra credit in their classes. The amount will vary from class to class. For Psychology 450: Sensation and perception students are allowed to earn up to 8 points of extra credit. Please see your syllabus for more details.
Signing Up for Experiments. You choose experiments from those displayed on the second floor of Barnwell next to the elevator. There are typically less slots available at the end of the semester, so it is always best to sign up early. Be sure to copy down the date, time, experimenter name, and room number of the experiment. If you have to cancel you must give 24 hours or more notice.
Arriving for Experiments. Arrive on time for the experiment. If you arrive on time and wait ten minutes, and still the experimenter is not there you may get credit by emailing to gordon@sc.edu the date, time and name of the experimenter. If ever the experimenter is at fault, full credit will be give to you.
Getting Credit for Experiments. This is now done electronically. After the experiment, you give the experimenter your name, social security number and the class number and section. If you wish to use an identifier other than your social security number you must arrange to do so with Dr. Baylis by the second week of the semester. The data will be added into a database that will allocate credit to you in your class. You will also receive a card. This card does not have to be given to anyone, it is your receipt in case of disputes, sobe sure to keep it. No appeals will be entertained without these cards. Be sure that the card includes the name of the experimenter and their six-digit code number. Note that each hour of experimental participation counts for one class only.
Failure to Attend. This can cause great problems for experimenters, so we will deduct twice the scheduled credit from your total. So railure to show up for a one hour experiment gives you negative 2 hours!
Seeing how much credit you have. Credited hours will be posted by class and the last six digits of your social security number in the area where the signup sheets are. New updated lists will be posted each week (usually on a Weds) begining Feb. 4th.
Appealing Credit. You should email the student subject pool administrator: subjpool@garnet.cla.sc.edu with the details of all the experiments that you have done for the particular class. These details must include date, time, experimenter name and code number for each hour you claim.
Appealing Treatment. If you feel that you have been treated unfairly, or without due regard to your civil rights, or if you feel any other untoward treatment has occurred you should email Dr. Gordon C. Baylis - to gordon@sc.edu giving brief details and giving a contact phone number so he can arrange an appointment.
Questions, Problems. All queries are usually answered fastest by email. Send questions to subjpool@garnet.cla.sc.edu. If you wish to speak with the student administrator, their office is on the second floor of Barnwell.
Alternatives to participating in Experiments for Extra Credit in Psych 450 (Spring 1998). In the past, students have requested that I offer an alternative to experiment participation. (there is still a combined maximum of 8 credits total of extra credit). It should be turned into your instructor. Select an article from a recent issue of a psychology journal. The article must be 2 pages or longer and the journal must be one that is located in the journal reading room, main floor of the Thomas Cooper Library. The article must relate in some way to the issues discussed in class (that is sensation and perception). Read the article and write a short, one page synopsis. The synopsis should state directly the major hypothesis being investigated, the method used by the researchers, and how the results supported or did not support the hypothesis. Additionally, include an explicit discussion of how the article relates to the topics discussed in the course. In all, this should be a one to two page, type written, double-spaced paper. Staple to this paper a copy of the front page of the article that includes the abstract. Note that the University policy on plagiarism prohibits you from using text of the article without proper citation. Each paper will constitute one hour of research credit.