DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

5/30/2023

The Bilingualism and Psycholinguistics Research Group at Northwestern University is looking for Korean-English bilinguals for an EEG study on language and cognition. We are interested in how languages are represented in the mind. Electroencephalography (EEG) is a safe and non-invasive neuroimaging technique. We are recording the neural activity at the surface of the scalp as it naturally occurs in the brain. The testing session takes approximately 3 hours to complete. For your time and effort, you will be compensated $15 per hour.

 

You may be eligible to participate if: 

-You are proficient in Korean and English.

-You are between the ages of 18 and 35.

-You are right-handed.

-You have normal or corrected-to-normal vision (glasses, contacts).

-You have no history of neurologic, cognitive, or psychiatric disorders. 

 

The study takes place at Northwestern’s Evanston campus at 2240 Campus Drive (Frances Searle Building) in room 3-367. Appointments will be scheduled at a time that is most convenient for you. 

 

If you are interested, please email Ashley Chung-Fat-Yim at ashley.chungfatyim@northwestern.edu or give us a call at 847-467-2709.

 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Viorica Marian

Study Title: Cognitive Architecture of Bilingual Language Processing

IRB #: STU00023477

3/14/2023

The Hearing Aid Laboratory at Northwestern University is looking for participants for a research study about how over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids impact how we listen and communicate with others. We are looking for adults with known or suspected mild-to-moderate hearing loss to bring a communication partner with them (i.e., spouse, friend, neighbor, adult child, etc.) to have a conversation together while wearing OTC hearing aids.

 

What to expect:

1. The study involves a total of 2 visits to our lab.
2. The first visit involves tests of memory, hearing, and communication with a partner for one visit to our lab, lasting approximately 2 hours. We will provide you with a free comprehensive hearing test, and you will be fit with OTC hearing aids during your visit to the lab.
3. The second visit involves a test of speech in background noise while wearing OTC hearing aids.

 

You may be eligible to participate if:

• You have diagnosed or suspected mild to moderate hearing loss in both ears

• You are 18 years or older

• You are able to bring someone with you to your first visit

• You have normal or corrected-to-normal vision (glasses, contacts)

• No history of neurologic, cognitive, or psychiatric disorders

 

The person you bring to the study with you is eligible if:

• They have no hearing loss, OR wear hearing aids consistently if they have hearing loss

• Are at least 18 years of age

• English is their primary language

• Normal or corrected-to-normal vision (glasses, contacts)

• No history of neurologic, cognitive, or psychiatric disorders

 

The study takes place in either Northwestern’s main campus at 2240 Campus Drive in Evanston, or at our downtown location at 710 N Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. Visits will be scheduled at the located that is most convenient for you. 

If you are interested, please email us at halab@northwestern.edu or give us a call at 847-467-0897.

You can also fill out an initial interest form by clicking here.  

Principal Investigator: Dr. Pamela Souza

Study Title: Investigation of direct-to-consumer hearing aids on conversation efficiency and listening effort

IRB #: STU00217791

2/24/2023

The laboratories of Dr. Satoru Suzuki and Dr. Marcia Grabowecky are currently seeking healthy adults to participate in research on perception. Studies take place on the Northwestern University Evanston campus. Participants are compensated $15/hour for volunteering. Note: no transportation or parking costs will be covered.

If you are interested in participating, please contact our laboratory by telephone (847) 467-6539, or email for more information: perception.nu@gmail.com 

Once you contact the laboratory, you will be informed of studies in progress and their specific requirements (for example, handedness, age range, gender) and procedures. Typically, studies involve responding to images or sounds presented by a computer and last from 1-2 hours. Some studies also require responding to personality or mood questionnaires, or having physiological responses recorded (for example, brain waves or eye movements). The details of the particular study will be provided when you contact the laboratory. If you are interested in volunteering and you qualify to participate in any ongoing studies, an appointment will be scheduled.

Principal Investigators: Dr. Satoru Suzuki and Dr. Marcia Grabowecky

Study Title: Visual Adaptation, Selective Attention, and Shape Coding: An Integrative Investigation of Visual Attention; Understanding the Mechanisms that Control the Dynamics of Perceptual Switches 

IRB #: CR1_STU00013229 

Updated 7/19/2023

 

The Central Auditory Physiology Laboratory is looking for volunteers to participate in a study about hearing in noisy environments. The study takes place on the Northwestern University Evanston campus and will take about 2 hours to complete. Participants are paid $30/hour for their time.

Participation in the study involves:

• A routine hearing test (a copy of the results can be provided upon request)
• Hearing tasks such as listening to and repeating sentences played against background noise
• A 30-minute EEG, where no active response is required from you (you can even take a nap). Sticker electrodes are placed behind each ear and on the forehead, and sounds are played in your right ear.

You are eligible to participate if:

• You are between 30-50 years of age
• You have no known hearing loss in either ear
• Your first language is English

If you are interested, please email us at caplab.hhl.study@gmail.com or fill out this interest form, and a study team member will get back to you shortly.

 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Jason Sanchez

Study Title: Role of Temporal Coding in HHL

IRB #: STU00215893

1/25/2023

We are seeking young people who are concerned about recent changes in mood, thinking or behavior. This research project aims to increase understanding of mental health concerns in young people and how to prevent the development of a more serious mental illness such as psychosis.

You may be eligible for the study if you meet any of the following criteria:

• Ages 12 - 30
• Noticing a recent change in thinking, behavior, or experiences, such as:
• Confusion about what is real or imaginary
• Feeling not in control of your own thoughts of ideas
• Feeling suspicious or paranoid
• Having experiences that may not be real, such as hearing sounds or seeing things that may not be there
• Having trouble communicating clearly

 

The study would entail visits over a 2-year period, and you would be paid $30 per hour for your participation.  Eligible participants will be asked to come in for various assessments including:

• clinical interviews
• biological assessments (MRI & EEG brain scans; blood and saliva testing)
• cognitive testing

 

If you are interested, please email us at adapt@northwestern.edu or fill out this online eligibility survey, and a member of our team will get back to you shortly.

 

Principal investigator: Dr. Vijay Mittal
Study Title: ProNET
IRB #: STU00215145

1/11/2023

Northwestern's ADAPT Lab is looking for people worried about recent changes in their thoughts and perceptions.

The purpose of this study is to see how unusual thoughts, suspiciousness or paranoia, and unusual experiences with seeing or hearing things that are not really there can be used to predict risk of psychosis through computerized tasks. The study will be conducted online through Northwestern University.

You may be eligible if experiencing one or more of the following:
- Unusual thoughts
- Questioning if things are real or imaginary
- Suspiciousness or paranoia
- A sense of having special powers or unrealistic plans for the future
- Unusual experiences with seeing or hearing things that are not there

An initial screening will be done. Then, if the study is found to be a good fit, you will be invited to participate in the main study. Participants will be compensated $30 per hour.

Visit our website for more information or to set up a confidential screening. You can also call (847) 467-5907. If you are younger than 18, please have your parent/guardian reach out.

Principal investigator: Dr. Vijay Mittal
Study Title: CAPR
IRB #: STU00211351

 

10/31/2022

The Auditory Research Laboratory at Northwestern University is looking for volunteers to participate in a study that examines early signs of auditory aging. Participation involves sitting quietly and listening to sounds while we make measurements with a small microphone in your ear canal. You may read a book or watch Netflix/Hulu with subtitles during these measurements. Other tasks will require active participation where you will respond when you hear a sound.

You could be eligible if:

• You are between 18-23, 30-39, or 50-59 years of age
• You have no known hearing loss or perceived difficulty hearing in either ear
• You do not have a history of middle ear infections, other ear disease, or ear surgery
• You do not have a history of noise exposure (e.g., shooting guns, working around loud machinery, or frequently being around loud music without hearing protection)
• You are able to travel to our laboratory on Northwestern University’s Evanston Campus

You could:

• Participate for 1-6 hours, in visits scheduled at your convenience (including evenings and weekends)
• Receive $30 per hour of participation
• Receive reimbursement for your travel expenses
• Receive a hearing evaluation

This project has been reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board (STU00000295) with Dr. Sumitrajit Dhar as the Principal Investigator.

If you are interested in participating, please contact Courtney Glavin at courtneyglavin@u.northwestern.edu.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Sumitrajit Dhar 

Study Title: Otoacoustic emissions and auditory behavior

IRB #: STU00000295 

10/18/22

The Cognitive Neuroscience Lab in the Department of Psychology at Northwestern is recruiting volunteers to participate in sleep research (STU00034353)

 Compensation is provided for studies ($12.50/hr)

You can participate in Chicago or at our sleep lab on the Evanston campus.

 To sign up and learn more about the The Paller Lab, visit:  www.northwestern.edu/people/kap/apply 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Ken Paller

Study Title: Strategically strengthening declarative memories during sleep: Learning, Creative Problem-Solving, REM Sleep, and Dreaming

IRB# STU00034353-MOD0044