BeHub Overview

A student works at a computer in the Manning School's Behavioral Research Lab. Manning Behavioral Lab and Participant System (B-Lab) is an interdisciplinary research entity devoted to the understanding of human behavior through science. The behavioral research spans the fields of management, leadership, organizational strategy, behavioral economics, entrepreneurship, marketing, accounting, finance, operations, and information systems.

The Manning School of Business Behavioral Research Hub (BeHub) is an interdisciplinary research entity devoted to the understanding of human behavior through science. The behavioral research spans the fields of management, leadership, organizational strategy, behavioral economics, entrepreneurship, marketing, accounting, finance, operations, and information systems.

Interested in participating in an Manning Behavioral Research Hub study? Read our answers to frequently asked questions below.

For faculty who wish to conduct research through the Manning Behavioral Research Hub and Participant Pool, contact BeHub@uml.edu with the particulars of your study. All research must be approved by the Institutional Review Board (See the guidelines on the Office of Research Integrity website). Your study will then be reviewed by the BeHub administrators and activated upon approval.

Guest Lectures

On April 6, 2023, Professor Marat Bakpayev, University of Minnesota, gave an insightful talk titled "Robots: Friends or Overlords?" Bakpayev presented conclusions from his research and practice about the past, present and future of the relationships between humans and robots. He discussed how people are fascinated with artificial life, but also feel intimidated by the potential loss of control. Future jobs will incorporate artificially intelligent elements and the trick is to learn to live and work in this new environment.

Guidelines and Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of this participant pool?

The purpose of the research participant pool is twofold. First, it provides an opportunity for students to participate in current, on-going research from a variety of behavioral disciplines. Second, it facilitates research by providing behavioral researchers access to willing participants.

I’m a faculty member. How can my students participate for class credit?

Faculty that want to give their students the opportunity to participate in the research pool for class credit should simply let the lab administrator know and your course will be added to the available course list. Importantly, you must also offer an alternative activity or assignment of equal credit and effort so students in your class have a choice.

How is participation credit tracked?

All research studies are preassigned credit based on estimated time to complete and this information is stated in each study posting. For example, a one hour study earns 1 credit hour. A half hour study earns 0.5 credit hour. Studies are bundled in minimum 0.5 hour increments. At any point during the semester, the lab administrator can provide faculty a report of student credit hours earned for a particular course. Participating students can view their own earned credit hours directly within the online system.

I’m a student. What’s in it for me besides the valuable learning experience?

There are two types of incentives in place for research participants.

If your current professor(s) has agreed to allow participation to count towards class credit, some of the studies are designed to award such credit. If this is the case, you will be asked to identify the course(s) when you create an account.

On occasion, there will be studies that provide tangible rewards for participation. That is, participants will earn money, a gift card, or some other modest reward for their participation in studies of this type. A reward could also take the form of a lottery, where participants would have a stated chance of winning a prize.

I’ve registered for the pool. What now?

Professors from the Department of Economics and the Manning School of Business are often looking for subjects to participate in research studies. Whenever we schedule an experiment or survey, it will be posted on the research participant system. Registered participants that meet the study’s particular requirements will also receive an email. If you want to participate in a study, simply follow the instructions provided with the study announcement.

What are these studies like?

The types of studies will vary. Some are experiments that take place in a computer lab on campus. These typically involve some sort of decision-making exercise. Others take place as online surveys. These often ask respondents to rate their level of agreement on various questions. Our experience has been that participants usually enjoy the process and ask to participate again in the future.

Are there any risks to me?

Before conducting these experiments, the University closely reviews what we will be doing to ensure that there are no risks to students. In the unlikely event that you are not comfortable with some aspect of a study, you are free to stop participation at any time. All information you share with us and all aspects about your participation are kept strictly confidential.

How long do the studies take?

It varies. The study announcement will describe its particular time commitment. A single study may be as short as 15 minutes or as long as two hours. Some studies may ask you to commit time over more than one day.

We do have one request…

If you register for the participant pool, you are only committing to receiving announcements and are under no obligation to participate in a study. However, once you agree to participate in a specific study, please be sure to honor that commitment since you have taken a slot that could otherwise go to someone else. If you do not show up for a study that you signed up for, you may be removed from future participation.

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