Behavior Lab
The Behavior Lab provides faculty, students, and external partners with the space, tools, and support needed to conduct behavioral research. Studies in the lab include experiments, surveys, and collaborative academic or industry projects.
Researchers in the Behavior Lab study how people think, decide, and behave in real-world contexts. Current research areas include sustainable behavior, consumer privacy, health choices, electric vehicle adoption, public policy interventions, and the sharing economy.
Many researchers also contribute to initiatives such as Better Marketing for a Better World and the Transformative Consumer Research movement, which focus on improving consumer well-being and quality of life.
Lab Benefits
Conducting complex experiments
Many experiments examining real behavior, especially those involving physical interactions or complex scenarios, are only possible in a physical environment.
Providing a controlled environment
Our facilities have been meticulously designed to provide a neutral, controlled testing environment and minimize external influences on participants’ behavior, which improves the reliability and internal validity of generated findings.
Observing real-time interaction
Researchers can directly observe participants' behavior, reactions, and body language in real-time, providing richer insights into their decision-making processes.
Studying group dynamics
Researchers can study group dynamics and interactions among participants, which can be crucial for some research objectives.
Enhancing data quality
Instructions can be provided to participants verbally as well as on-screen, and issues and questions can be addressed in real-time.
Capabilities
Our specialized facilities allow researchers to study how people think, feel, and act in various situations and environments. Research findings can generate theoretical insights into, and solutions for, real-world problems and challenges that affect individuals, organizations, and society.
- 37 individual research stations in the main room, each separated by a privacy screen.
- An isolated pair of research stations for dyadic research.
- A cluster of three research stations within a partitioned room for interactive, qualitative, and/or sensitive research.
- Observation and preparation room, with one-way mirrors, allowing for discrete monitoring of participants.
- Lab assistant terminal that can control and communicate with each individual research station.
- Adjustable lighting.
- A room-length magnetic whiteboard.
- Two digital projectors.
- Computer, keyboard, and mouse.
- Removable opaque privacy screens.
- Headphones.
- Ample desk space for physical stimuli.
- Microphone and participant-facing camera, both with recording capabilities.
- Questionnaire and survey software.
- Adjustable wheeled chair.
We also incorporate cutting-edge technology into aspects of the lab, such as:
- Biometric sensors: To measure physiological responses such as skin conductance, which provide invaluable data about people’s nonconscious and emotional reactions to various stimuli.
- Artificial Intelligence: Used to enhance various aspects of our behavioral research, such as generating unique, customized, and directly relevant stimuli, and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to extract patterns, sentiments, and themes from open-ended survey responses, interviews, and textual data.
Collecting Data
Include your study in existing lab sessions
- Add your survey or experiment to our scheduled research sessions
- Access a consistent pool of undergraduate participants
Request independent or customized sessions
- Schedule studies outside of the regular sessions (e.g., evenings or other days)
- Conduct more complex or interactive experimental designs
Incorporate research participation into courses
- Offer research participation to opportunities to your own students
- Integrate lab participation into course requirements or assignments
Gain assistance in recruiting participants
- Utilize the lab’s undergraduate participant pool
- Recruit alternative or non-student samples
- Arrange for paid participant samples when needed
Services
- Research question and conceptual development.
- Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocol submissions.
- Grant application writing.
- Software and hardware tutorials.
- Methodological assistance.
- Survey design and development.
- Participant recruitment (in-person and online).
- Pretest surveys for issues and timing.
- Research session organization and supervision.
- Interview recording and transcription.
- Data analysis and visualization.
- Research presentation and communication.
- Copyediting and publication support.
- Presenting to classes about the data collection experience.
- Field study assistance.
Get Involved
Dr. Matthew D. Meng
Associate Professor - Lab Director
Eccles Business Building, Room 410435.797.4138
matthew.meng@usu.edu