Join an Experiment

Participate and Get Paid: Your Guide to Our Experiments

We love using experimental lab methods to test theories and explore exciting economic questions. Depending on the experiment, you may get to play the role of a corporate CEO, a landlord, a firm competing with others in the market, a worker deciding how much to work, a donor, a taxpayer, the government setting economic policy or a consumer making spending decisions. Our research spans a variety of topics, including auctions, the rental housing market, environmental regulations, common-pool resources, market-communication dynamics, public and private goods, and health-care funding.

Using specialized computerized software, we create scenarios where you make decisions in our experiments, and participants often express how much fun they have! The best part? You get paid cash, right away, just for participating!

Participants are compensated in two main ways:

  • Show-Up Fee: A $5 fee for those who arrive on time, even if you come after enough participants have shown up.
  • Performance-Based Pay: Additional earnings based on decisions made during the experiment, typically ranging from $15 to $40 for sessions lasting 30 minutes to two hours.
  • We also offer quick surveys that pay around $8 for about 20 minutes of participation.

After registering, we’ll use your name and email to notify you about scheduled experiments, offering several dates and times for you to choose from.

What to Expect at a McDSL Experiment

At the Mestelman & Muller McMaster Decision Science Library, we conduct a variety of engaging experiments. When you arrive, you’ll settle in at a private computer. We’ll walk you through a specific scenario, provide you with all the necessary information, and ask you to make decisions. You might be tasked with dividing resources between people or groups, deciding what’s fair, determining who has the greatest need, or chatting with others to vote on a preferred tax rate. Sometimes you’ll participate on your own, and other times in small or large groups.

Each experiment is unique, but all are computerized and come with clear, narrated instructions to guide you through the process. There are no right or wrong answers, and you don’t need to be an economics expert to join in. Everyone is welcome to participate. That’s the beauty of our work—we want to know what you think.

Information Box Group

Who Can Participate in an Experiment?

We welcome everyone to join our experiments!

Whether you’re an undergraduate or graduate student from any year or discipline, a faculty member, staff, or a friend or neighbour of the McMaster community, we encourage you to participate.

How Long Do Experiments Typically Take?

Most experiments typically last between one to two hours, though there can be exceptions. Your invitation email will provide all the details, so you’ll know the duration before you decide to sign up.

You’re always free to withdraw during an experiment, but please note that if you leave early, you may forfeit any money earned during the session (you will still receive your show-up fee).

Am I Allowed to Join Multiple Experiments?

You can take part in as many different experiments as you like, but you can only participate in each experiment once to ensure reliable results. When you receive an invitation, you’ll typically be able to choose one session for that experiment.

Once you select a session, our system will prevent you from signing up for another session of the same experiment.

However, if you get invited to a different experiment, you’re welcome to participate in that one as well!

Are Friends Welcome to Join Me in an Experiment?

Only those who have successfully registered, received a personal invitation email for an experiment, and selected a specific session are eligible to participate.

If both you and your friend have registered and signed up for the same session, you’re welcome to attend together.

Please note that you cannot show up without prior registration and session selection.

Your Privacy Matters: Our Commitment

Any personal information collected during an experiment will be used solely for that experiment and will not be shared with others.

While some personal details are required for registration in our system, this information is strictly for recruitment purposes and will remain confidential. We have implemented measures to ensure that all data in the online database is secure.