Psychology Facilities
The Psychology Department is pleased to offer its students a wide range of state-of-the-art facilities for teaching and research purposes, including laboratory space and equipment, a library conference room, and a computer work room.
These facilities are open to psychology majors and minors for research purposes; when research is not underway, majors and minors are invited to use the space for personal study and learning.
Facilities
Cognitive Psychology Cubicles
Four identical cubicles are available for gathering data in cognitive and social psychology research.
Each cubicle is equipped with a Dell Optiplex 790 computer with Core i5 processor and 24-inch monitor. Research software available on the computers includes the latest versions of MediaLab and DirectRT, which are used in studies involving the administration of audio/visual stimuli, subliminal primes, text-based surveys, and response-time measures. Each computer is also equipped with Audio-Technica noise-canceling headphones to eliminate distractions during data collection.
An eye tracker, used for monitoring subjects’ point of gaze and eye movement, is available for research on attention and memory.
Developmental Psychology Lab
For developmental research, the psychology suite includes a space that can be used in studies of attachment, theory-of-mind, logical reasoning, moral development, and other domains.
Within the developmental lab are two-way mirrors, cameras, and microphones, which allow for surreptitious analysis and recording of participant activities by study personnel. Adjoining the room is a comfortable waiting area for parents and caregivers.
Social Psychology Lab
A spacious room equipped with four lab tables and seating for up to sixteen participants is available for research on topics such as conformity, social loafing, deindividuation, and group polarization. Dividers are available for creating cubicle stations that allow for multiple participants to complete study materials privately and simultaneously.
Like the developmental area, the social lab includes two-way mirrors, microphones, and four cameras mounted at each corner of the room for observing participant activities during studies.
Observation Room
The observation room is situated between the developmental and social psychology labs and is located on the other side of the two-way mirrors in these rooms.
This space contains the equipment used to operate the video cameras and audio-recording devices in the developmental and social labs. A joystick console and control box allows observers to switch between and control specific cameras within each room. Images from the cameras are displayed on a 24-inch flat-screen monitor and can be saved on a high-capacity hard drive for later use.
Psychophysiology Lab
The department has lab space for conducting research on the physiological basis of psychological processes such as stress and emotion.
The space is equipped with a Dell Vostro computer (Core i7 processor) connected to a 24-inch Dell monitor. This computer and available tools are used for recording blood pressure, respiration, skin conductance, pulse rate, and brain activity.
Computer Work Room & Departmental Library
Psychology majors and minors are encouraged to take advantage of the department’s workroom and library for research purposes and studying.
The workroom is equipped with five Dell Omniplex computers with Core i5 processors and 24-inch monitors. This room has its own high-quality Xerox printer and help books for individuals working on APA-style papers and data analysis.
Beside the workroom is the department’s library and conference room, which is used to stock a wide range of textbooks on various topics in psychology, hold upper-level seminar classes, and conduct video conferences with experts and Hillsdale graduates at other universities.