Facilities

The laboratory has 28 computer work-stations in separate cubicles, a separate room (for meetings, focus groups, non-computer-based experiments, etc.), and a separate computer for the researcher. All computers have internet connection and state-of-the-art software to conduct surveys and experiments (Qualtric,  Z-tree, etc.). In addition, all the computers are equipped with the office suite and data analysis programs available at the university. Any software available at the Department can be installed on request after obtaining permission.
 
The lab facilities allow researchers to conduct a wide range of studies: computer-assisted (e.g. web surveys) or in-situ (e.g. face-to-face interviews) studies, individual or group experiments/data-collection, studies where participants interact virtually in an anonymous way, among others. All studies conducted in the laboratory should comply with the requirements that have been established by the ethical Committee of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra [insert link: https://www.upf.edu/web/cirep]. The lab is open to all researchers of the Department of Social and Political Sciences, the Department of Economics and Business, and to other external researchers with a defined design of the study and resources to conduct them.
 
Furthermore, these facilities can be used by professors who are interested in teaching research methodology using the lab equipment (survey and experiment software). The professor should always be present during the lab sessions and students must not access the lab alone.
 
 

Software and Equipment

Many statistical and survey software packages are installed in the lab and can be used, such as:
 
  • Z-Tree: a software package developed by Urs Fischbacherat University of Zurich's Institute for Empirical Research in Economics, to conduct economic experiments such as auctions, ultimatum games, prisoners' dilemma games, trust games, etc.
  • Qualtrics: survey software with many programmable options (including the insertion of reaction time tasks, audio, video, randomization, branching).
  • Direct RT: software to design Reaction Time tasks/experiments, presenting sound, video images and text with exacting precision. Useful in studying memory processes, attentional processes or evaluative processes (e.g. lexical decision tasks, implicit associations, evaluative priming tasks)
  • E-Prime: software used for behavioral research, for designing, generating, collecting, analyzing data.
  • IBM SPSS: statistical package for data analysis.
  • R: free software environment for statistical analysis and graphics
  • MatLab: a programming platform designed specifically for engineers and scientists, to analyze data, develop algorithms, create models and applications. The heart of MATLAB is the MATLAB language, a matrix-based language allowing the most natural expression of computational mathematics.
 
There is also the following equipment that can be used:
 
  • Tobii Eye-Tracker: to measure and observe differences in attention or attention biases to different stimuli, measuring eye positions and eye movement.
  • 10-millisecond-accurate keyboards (for reaction time studies/experiments)
  • Headphones with microphones