Thank you for your interest in being a participant in Victoria University of Wellington psychology and neuroscience studies!

We are looking for potential participants to be involved in research at the VUW School of Psychology by being part of our research participant pool. The participant pool will be accessed by several labs in the School of Psychology. You can read more about our laboratories and research methods below.

Sign up below with just your name and email to indicate that you have an interest in participating in our studies. Researchers will then send out study invitations and information for their own studies as they are ready to start collecting data.

Our research interests involve a range of techniques, both online and in-person. The studies you will be invited to participate in will involve one or more of the following methods.

Electroencephalography (EEG)

EEG is a technique used to detect the small variations in voltage across the scalp to provide some indication of cortical brain activity - particularly the timing of brain processes. In EEG studies, participants wear an electrode cap while performing a task, usually on the computer.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

TMS is a safe, non-invasive technique that temporarily influences brain activity. A magnetic coil is placed on the head, which sends out electromagnetic pulses, temporarily disrupting brain activity for a fraction of a second. TMS enables us to target specific areas in the brain to examine their role in human functioning. Most TMS studies require you to first get an MRI brain scan.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

MRI provides us with a 3D image of the structure of the brain. MRI scans are safe, non-invasive and often allow us to pinpoint areas of investigation for future studies. Participants are often given a picture of their own scan at the completion of the study.

Eye tracking

In the lab, we use eye tracking to help us identify what visual objects that are most relevant to people, and to determine what factors may be involved in directing and re-directing attention. In these studies participants are placed in front of an eye tracking camera and are asked to perform simple visual tasks.

Virtual Reality (VR)

Using a VR headset and series of sensors/controllers, our VR studies ask questions about the mind and behaviour by eliciting realistic emotional states and assessing aspects of cognition in a more lifelike setting than the traditional lab environment.

Behaviour

Some of the greatest contributions to cognitive psychology stem from behavioural studies wherein participants complete tasks that assess aspects of cognition such as perception, attention, memory, or consciousness. We can learn about brain activity simply from how quickly and accurately you respond in different tasks. These may be competed online or in person depending on the research requirements.