PSY 101 Participation in Research

Study Scheduling System (SONA)

How to log into Sona for the first time

How to sign up for activities in Sona

Enrichment Activities FAQ

Enrichment activities

What are the enrichment activities?

Enrichment activities are a portion of Introductory Psychology that allow students to become acquainted with the nature and variety of research in psychology. Two kinds of enrichment activities are available, both available using the Sona Study Scheduling System:

Option 1 involves being a participant in research studies conducted by Psychology Department faculty and students.
Option 2 involves completing activities that will give you first-hand experience with research techniques used in Psychological research.

How many activities do I need to take part in?

4 credits of activities are required. All activities will tell you how many credits they provide, between 0.1 and 2. Credit values vary with the time requirement. You can expect a time commitment of 1 hour for each credit.

When I first logged in, I was asked about a Prescreen. Is that required?

The prescreen is a short questionnaire used by some studies to determine eligibility. You must be 18 or older to complete the prescreen survey. You are not required to complete it, but doing so may increase the number of studies you will be eligible to choose throughout the semester It will take approximately one half hour and is worth 0.5 credits if you do choose to participate. You can complete the prescreen at any time from the My Profile tab on the blue bar at the top of the page.

I’m not comfortable with participating in research. Do I still need to complete activities?

The enrichment activities are a requirement. However, Research Alternative Activities are available that do not require any kind of data to be collected. You may also withdraw your consent at any time while participating in research if you are uncomfortable continuing.

I’m under 18, are there special rules?

If you are under 18, you are welcome to participate in activities marked as research alternatives with no paperwork required. To participate in research studies, you will need to have your parent/guardian complete a permission form to be kept with the Psychology department. Please note that some studies require participants to be 18 even with a completed form. For questions and to obtain the parent/guardian permission form, please email [email protected] or click here to download the permission form: Parent/Guardian Permission Form.

Accessing Your Sona Account

Sona wants me to log in. Where can I find my login information?

If you registered for your class earlier than the Friday before the start of the semester, you should receive an email with your username and a temporary password. Your username is the same as your GVSU network ID.

I registered for PSY 101 after account emails were sent. How do I log in?

Please send an email with your name, class section, and GVSU email address or G-Number to [email protected], informing us that you need a Sona account.

I lost or forgot my account information. What do I do now?

At the main Sona login page, click on “Forgot Password?” on the right and enter your GVSU email address to have a new temporary password sent to you. You can also email [email protected] for assistance.

Using Sona

Where do I go for enrichment activities?

The Psychology department uses the Sona Study Scheduling System at https://gvsu.sona-systems.com

How do I view and sign up for studies?

Once you log in, you can click on the green “View Available Studies” button, or click on “Studies” in the blue bar at the top of the page. If a study has available timeslots and you meet the requirements, it will have a blue “Timeslots Available” you can click to select a timeslot. Please be sure to review any listed restrictions (for example, “left-handed people only”) to ensure you can complete the study and receive credit.

If you are eligible for a study, choose a time that works for you to come to the study. For online studies, there will generally only be a single completion deadline. You can complete the study at any time before that deadline.

I want to view the studies I signed up for.

You can view all studies you have completed or signed up for by going to “My Schedule/Credits” in the top blue bar.

Are the activities online or in person?

Both online and in-person activities are available. You may be required to complete a portion of the participation credits in person, please review your syllabus for details.

Do I have to wait to complete online studies?

You can complete an online study at any time after signing up for it. The date and time shown are the deadline to complete it for credit. If you sign up for a study and do not have time and a quiet area to complete it immediately, you can access it by going to “My Schedule/Credits” in the top blue bar and clicking on the “View Study Website” button.