Current studies that need participants

Culture and decision-making study for Afghan-Americans and Americans of European Heritage!
Where: Stamp Student Union

Researchers at the University of Maryland in College Park are running a study to better understand the role that cultural background plays in the way people make decisions. Currently, our team is recruiting English-speaking participants who are immigrants from Afghanistan, the children of Afghan immigrants, or Americans of European heritage.

This study involves the completion of an on-line questionnaire lasting no longer than 1.5 hours in total. As compensation, each participant will be entered into a drawing to win one of several $300 gift certificates to Target. Chance of winning is 1 in 20.

If you think you fit the criteria above and are interested in participating, please email Ivica at cpsurvey@umd.edu, or call (301) 226-9075.

For more information, contact:
Ivica
(301) 226-9075cpsurvey@umd.edu

 

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CAN YOU HEAR or READ ME NOW? Participant call.

This study investigates a person’s ability to read or hear sentences with distortion while undergoing functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) brain scanning. Several cognitive and language tasks will be administered in addition to fMRI.

Research participants must be fluent speakers of American English, right-handed, between 18 and 23 years of age, have good reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills in English, have normal or corrected-to-normal vision (contact lenses are fine, no eyeglasses), and normal hearing.  Research participants should NOT have any of the following: history of neurological and psychological disorders, or learning disabilities.

Compensation: $20 per hour for up to 2 ½ hours.

Study will be held at the Maryland Neuroimaging Center on Greenmead Drive, near UMCP campus. Campus shuttles to Courtyards are available, which drop off next to the MNC.

For more information, please email: neuroimaging@casl.umd.edu

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Brain Training to Improve Language Learning

Train your working memory and help scientists at the University of Maryland Center for Advanced Study of Language (CASL) learn how to help you learn and use foreign languages! You can receive $10 per hour of participation in this study, with participation time varying between 10 and 20 hours.

Working memory is what you use to store and process information in real time. You use working memory whenever you have to: focus, filter out distraction, switch between tasks, understand text or speech, or learn a new language.  CASL scientists have developed a training regime to train working memory.

What will you be asked to do?

The length of participation ranges from 9 hours to 19 hours, spaced over several weeks and multiple 1 and 2-hour sessions. During these sessions you will be asked to complete tasks of memory, reading, thinking, and problem solving.

To be eligible to participate:

•             You must be a Native English speaker between the ages of 18-40.

•             You must have normal, or corrected to normal, hearing and vision. 

•             You must have unimpaired use of your dominant writing hand.

•             You do not have a personal history of neurological, neuropsychiatric, psychiatric disorders, or learning disabilities.

•             You do not have a recent history of excessive alcohol consumption, drug use, or substance abuse.

For more info, please contact: braintraining@umd.edu

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Mandarin Chinese Study

Researchers from the University of Maryland are looking for native speakers of Mandarin Chinese for a paid language study.  The study involves making judgments about the pronunciation of a set of Mandarin words produced by English speakers.  Participants may also be asked to provide background information about themselves. 

Payment is $10/hour for a 45-60 minute session.  The experiment will take place at the Maryland Neuroimaging Center (MNC)<http://www.mnc.umd.edu/aboutus/directions> right next to campus.  All interested individuals will be asked about their language background before participation.  Not all native Mandarin speakers may be eligible. 

If you are interested in participating, please email Ryan Corbett at rcorbett@umd.edu<mailto:rcorbett@umd.edu>.

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CASL Listening Research Study

The University of Maryland Center for Advanced Study of Language (CASL) is seeking participants who speak English as a native language for a language research study that will take place over several months.

Participants would be asked to participate in a research session (2 hours) where you will complete a listening comprehension test and

a memory test.

Participants will receive $95 for their time.

Suitable participants must be highly proficient in American English and must have learned it as their first language and must be 18 to 19 years old.

For more information, please contact: The CASL Listening Research Team at listeningstudy@casl.umd.edu, 301-226-8999.