Hi all...
I have in mind a couple of experiments I'd like to perform... These are on the order of behavioral psychology and only involve some simple "survey" type answers being given to particular stimuli. I can manufacture the stimuli (they're all value-neutral and non-controversial visual images - basically text vs. some graphs for lack of a better description). My issue is that I obviously don't work for a university and don't have any funding. So I've read plenty of case studies from scientists who've done experiments where they advertised in some paper that they wanted people for x or y (milgram experiment, bystander effect, snake phobics - don't remember the guy's name, Richard Wiseman the Luck Factor, etc) and were able to get a good broad slice of random populace for their experiment. Without any funding / budget, I don't think I can do that... I know that I've seen people post messages on websites and the like for free where they asked people to visit x site to take some survey, but I'm concerned about that producing a cross-section of the public that may not be really representative of the "average person" irrespective of economic factors (which may influence internet usage), etc.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
Thanks
I have in mind a couple of experiments I'd like to perform... These are on the order of behavioral psychology and only involve some simple "survey" type answers being given to particular stimuli. I can manufacture the stimuli (they're all value-neutral and non-controversial visual images - basically text vs. some graphs for lack of a better description). My issue is that I obviously don't work for a university and don't have any funding. So I've read plenty of case studies from scientists who've done experiments where they advertised in some paper that they wanted people for x or y (milgram experiment, bystander effect, snake phobics - don't remember the guy's name, Richard Wiseman the Luck Factor, etc) and were able to get a good broad slice of random populace for their experiment. Without any funding / budget, I don't think I can do that... I know that I've seen people post messages on websites and the like for free where they asked people to visit x site to take some survey, but I'm concerned about that producing a cross-section of the public that may not be really representative of the "average person" irrespective of economic factors (which may influence internet usage), etc.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
Thanks
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Massachusetts
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Re: how do I find subjects for an experiment?
Mon, January 14, 2008 - 8:37 PMYou are right to worry about getting a good sample of subjects ... but do you know how much of current psychology is based on experiments conducted by university professors, and how many of those are done using (paid or credited) undergraduates? How representative is that? ;-) -
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Re: how do I find subjects for an experiment?
Thu, January 17, 2008 - 10:11 PMwell there is that. :) and my study, while it might be interesting, will probably not garner any academic acclaim or interest... probably won't make big news, irrespective of whatever interesting results come out of it, merely because I'm not a psych. professor... I'm an autistic computer programmer who butchered my opportunity for a degree when I was young. :)
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Re: how do I find subjects for an experiment?
Tue, January 15, 2008 - 5:18 PMim thinking just post a note on the board at the local junior college. or shoot off a note to the department head of psychology there. people are game to play with this stuff, especially younger ones. -
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Re: how do I find subjects for an experiment?
Thu, January 17, 2008 - 10:18 PMthanks Jeff, ... boy wish I felt like I had more time to work on it too... too much going on lately -- and not enough of it is my own stuff. :)
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