Paid Research Opportunities
The following studies are recruiting participants and pay for your time. Read the descriptions and requirements. If you are interested, email the researcher asking to participate. Information on some studies is also posted on bulletin boards in Swift Hall.
Currently Available Studies
Discussions about important policy issues
5/6/2025
We are seeking Northwestern community members to participate in a research project at Northwestern University about how people discuss important public policy issues. The goal of this research is to increase our understanding of how those conversations can be most productive.
You may be eligible for this study if you are at least 18 years of age. The study would require filling out a survey (15 minutes) and then an in-person visit to the Cresap building for a one-hour experiment. You will be compensated $30 for your participation, and $5 if we cannot schedule you for an in-person visit. In the survey, we will ask you to report information about your beliefs about important policy issues, which of those issues you would be willing to discuss with another participant, and some information about your preferred political groups, and feelings about those inside and outside that group. At the in-person visit, you will engage in a 20-minute discussion with another participant with different beliefs, and fill out surveys about your experience after that discussion.
If you are interested, please email us at PolicyDiscussionStudy@gmail.com and a member of our team will get back to you shortly.
Study Title: Gamified intervention for agreeable disagreement
Principal Investigator: Dr. Steven Franconeri
IRB#: STU00223975
Summarizing with AI
4/14/2025
The Reading Comprehension Lab at Northwestern University is developing a research study to see how people summarize information with or without AI.
If you choose to participate in this study, you will be asked to read and summarize a short passage. Additionally, you will answer some questions about yourself. Participants will be compensated at $12 per hour.
Eligibility Criteria: You must be over 18 years old, live in the United States, have a Northwestern email, and be fluent in English to participate. Compensation will be given to those who complete all parts of the in-person study. This study takes around 40 minutes to complete.
If you are interested, please add your email to this brief Qualtrics form: https://northwestern.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8w9yij1ssoFYNFk
If you have any questions, please reach out to rapplab221@gmail.com.
Study Title: Summarizing with AI
Principal Investigator: David Rapp, PhD
IRB#: STU00223616
Bilingual Language Processing in Applied Contexts
10/1/2024
The Bilingualism and Psycholinguistics Research Group at Northwestern University is recruiting Arabic-English bilinguals ages 18-35 years old for an online study on constructing a bilingual knowledge test. Arabic-English bilinguals must currently reside in the U.S., must be proficient in both Arabic and English, and must have learned Arabic first.
This study consists of tasks and questionnaires that should take approximately two hours to complete, across two testing sessions that are two weeks apart from each other. You will receive $12 per hour (or $6 per half an hour) for your participation in the first session, and you will receive $15 per hour for your participation in the second session.
Once complete the first session, you will receive an invitation to complete the second session, which will take place two weeks later. Thank you for your interest in our research! For more information or to sign up, please contact PhD Student, Malak Elmessiry, at malak.elmessiry@u.northwestern.edu or 847-467-2709.
Study Title: Bilingual Language Processing in Applied Contexts
Principal Investigator: Prof. Viorica Marian
IRB#: STU00220336
Cognitive Architecture of Bilingual Language Processing
9/10/2024
The Bilingualism and Psycholinguistics Research Group at Northwestern University is recruiting Spanish-English bilingual and English monolingual participants for a combined electroencephalogram (EEG) and eye-tracking study on language and cognition. Spanish-English bilinguals must be proficient in both Spanish and English. English monolinguals must have no or limited proficiency in a second language.
EEG and eye-tracking technology are safe and non-invasive techniques used in psycholinguistics research. We are recording eye-movements as well as the neural activity at the surface of the scalp as it naturally occurs in the brain.
The visit will take approximately 2.5 to 3 hours to complete. For your time and effort, you will be compensated $15 per hour. The visit will take place on Northwestern’s Evanston campus. CTA transportation reimbursement will be provided if needed.
For more information or to sign up, please contact Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. Concepción Soto, at c.soto@northwestern.edu or 847-467-2709.
Study Title: Cognitive Architecture of Bilingual Language Processing
Principal Investigator: Prof. Viorica Marian
IRB#: STU00023477
Emotional Processing in Friendships
8/13/2024
Do you or your friend struggle with self-confidence?
Help us research how close friends talk and support each other!
If you AND one of your close friends are between 18 and 40 years and willing to participate together, you may be eligible. You and your friend can each earn up to $125.
For this study, you and one of your close, same-sex friends will participate together at Northwestern’s medical school campus in downtown Chicago. You will complete an interview, a variety of questionnaires, and several tasks with your friend while having your brain activity recorded using EEG. Many of the procedures will be completed online rather than in person. This study will take approximately 5 hours to complete, splitting into 2 days. You and your friend will each be paid $25/hour for a total of $125 (the total amount will depend on how long your visit takes). Additionally, you will also be compensated for parking or CTA travel for attending the study visit.
If you are interested, please fill out this brief survey to see if you are eligible (https://redcap.nubic.northwestern.edu/redcap/surveys/?s=487MNAJAMWMLC9AM).
If you have more questions, feel free to email the us at Emotion-Friends@northwestern.edu or call/text at 312-884-9797! A team member will get back to you shortly.
Study Title: Emotional Processing in Friendships
Principal Investigator: Dr. Stewart Shankman
IRB#: STU00218814
Play games for brain science!
7/19/2024
The Dynamic Brain Lab at Northwestern University is recruiting volunteers to participate in research on the brain dynamics underlying memory and cognitive control across the human lifespan. We are recruiting adults and children for multiple studies.
Participants will be compensated at $30/hour.
The research will take place in downtown Chicago.
Follow this link for more information, and to sign up: https://redcap.nubic.northwestern.edu/redcap/surveys/?s=93P9HHRYXXDMLYTD
Principal Investigator: Elizabeth Johnson, PhD
Study Title: Behavioral and neural mechanisms of memory across the lifespan
IRB#: STU00216728
Social Interactions Study
6/21/2024
We are seeking young people to participate in a research project at Northwestern University about how the relationships between social networks, personality, and unusual thoughts some people may have fluctuate over a brief period. The goal of this research is to increase understanding of how social interactions influence mental health concerns and/or mental health concerns influence social interactions.
You may be eligible for this study if you are between 12 and 34 years of age. The study would entail coming in for 3 visits each approximately one week apart, and you will be compensated $25 per hour for your participation. During these sessions, you will complete questionnaires about unusual thoughts and experiences, mental health symptoms, and your social network and a brief interview with a researcher about your social life.
If you are interested, please email us at adapt@northwestern.edu, and a member of our team will get back to you shortly.
Principal investigator: Dr. Vijay Mittal
Study Title: ORBITZ
IRB#: STU00203263