March 11, 2013 - 7:01pm

Campus Corner: Strapped for cash

BY KAT CARTWRIGHT

Looking at your bank account may be painful post-spring break, but making some easy cash is possible here at Michigan. If you’ve taken Psychology 101, or similar courses that require a certain number of hours participating in psychology studies, you may be aware of the opportunities the Psychology Department offers. However, if you’re one of the many students who haven’t and think those colored flyers scattered throughout the UGLi, Mason Hall and East Hall that read “Want to make some quick cash?” are gimmicks, think again.

In desperate need of money, without enough free time to get a job my freshman year, I inquired into one of those flyers and have been participating in psychology studies ever since. If you don’t know what a “psychology study” is, it’s basically a short amount of time where you contribute to research by anonymously taking miscellaneous tests that the professor or Ph.D. candidate design. The tests can include anything from looking at images on a screen to reading passages and, if they’re really intensive, can involve wearing hats that track your eye movement. Typically, the studies advertise a pay of $10 per hour, however, they usually don’t last over 45 minutes — don’t worry, you’ll still receive the full $10 afterwards. Not only can you use the flyers to get involved in these studies, but you can also sign up for the Psychology Department’s Paid Subject Pool, which allows researchers to contact you directly.

If you’re really strapped for cash and need more than just the occasional psych study, Ross School of Business offers a similar opportunity through its Behavioral Lab. Google search “ross paid subject pool” and then create a login to receive their emails. Though the Behavioral Lab’s tests are similar to the Psychology Department’s, they are often more marketing based and frequently include a free snack — score! Paying a similar $10 per hour rate, these tests are shorter than the psych studies. Lasting only 20-30 minutes, you can make a quick and easy five bucks.

Don’t let an empty bank account hold you back the last half of the semester, start inquiring into those colorful flyers and sign up for the paid subject pools the Psych Department and Ross offer.

Kat Cartwright can be reached at katcartw@umich.edu.