To supplement your course experience, all Introductory Psychology students are required to take part in three psychology-related research experiences. These activities can include participating in designated psychology studies or attending designated psychology-related research talks. The Psychology Department uses an experiment management system to record your psychology research experiences. Only experiments, talks, and events posted on the Psychology Research in Action (PRIA) web site will count toward the 3 credits you need to fulfill the Psychology Research in Action requirement. To stay on track, we recommend you complete at least one PRIA credit by Oct. 15th, a second by November 8th, and a third by Dec. 6th.

To Access your PRIA Account:

• PRIA accounts will be created during the second week of classes. Please wait until at least Sept. 8th before attempting to log in for the first time.
• Go to the PRIA website:  https://csbsju.sona-systems.com/.
• Click ‘Forgot My Password’.
  • Enter your username (your CSB/SJU email, without the “@csbsju.edu” part).
  • Once you click ‘email password’, you’ll get an email allowing you to set up your password.
  • Enter the temporary password provided in the PRIA email. After accessing your account for the first time, you will be prompted to change this password.
• Read the privacy statement and complete the prescreen questionnaire (you’ll only need to do this the first time you log into the site).
• Once you’re logged in, you can get information about available PRIA studies, talks, and events and sign up for the ones you want to participate in.
• On this website, you can also check the times and locations of activities you’ve signed up for, verify the number of PRIA credits you’ve earned, and see your account information.

Signing up for PRIA Studies, Talks, and Events:

• Click on “Study Sign-Up” to see a list of all available studies, talks, and events.
• Click on individual studies or activities to read more about them.
• Click “View Time Slots” to see when the study or activity is available.
• Click on “Sign-Up” to automatically sign up for a specific time slot.
• Copy your identity code (AKA your “PRIA Number”, which is always available by clicking “My Profile”) as you may need to enter it when you complete the experiment. Researchers can only give you credit in the system using your identity code, not your name.

Important Information Regarding Sign-ups:

• To check the studies or activities you are currently signed up for, click on “My Schedule and Credits.” This will provide you with the activity name and credit status.
• If you need to cancel your session, click on “My Schedule and Credits.” Find the session you want to cancel and click on the cancel button. You will be asked to verify your desire to cancel. Please cancel far enough in advance of the scheduled session so that others can sign up for the time slot.
• If you have problems accessing the site or signing up, please contact Dr. Laura Sinville in the Psychology Department: [email protected].

Your Rights as a Research Participant

• We are committed to protecting your privacy and integrity as a research participant. All studies available on the PRIA web site have received approval by the CSB/SJU Institutional Review Board. You have a right to an explanation of any study before you agree to participate in it. If, during a study, you decide that you would rather not participate after all, you are free to withdraw from the study. You cannot be penalized in any way for leaving a research session once it has begun. If you have a complaint, concern or suggestion about the project you participated in, please feel free to contact Dr. Laura Sinville in the Psychology Department: [email protected].

After the Research Session

When the research session is over, you will receive an explanation of the research project. Pay close attention as this is your chance to find out what the research was all about. The researcher may ask you not to share certain parts of the research with others. It is very important for the research project that you help out by not talking to others about the research.  If you do talk, you may be ruining a student’s senior project or a faculty member’s research.

After you complete the session, the researcher will update your PRIA account to reflect your participation.  Credits usually need to be manually entered into the system, so it may take a few days for the credit to show up on your account.

Approved Psychology-Related Talks

Signing up for approved psychology-related talks works just like signing up for research studies – all available activities are listed on the PRIA website.

However, in order to receive credit for attending a talk or event, you’ll need to complete a write-up of the activity within one week of the event using an online form available on the psychology department website at: https://www.csbsju.edu/forms/5QYIHXPAGB

• After submitting the write-up form, you can check your PRIA account to see if credit was granted. Credit updates will take place within a few days of the receipt of your online form.
• You will only receive credit for attending approved talks and activities. It is your responsibility to submit your write-ups within one week of the date of the talk or activity.

If You Need Help

• If you have general questions about your PRIA requirement, ask your professor. If you have trouble using the PRIA website or if the number of credits listed on the PRIA website does not match your records, please contact Dr. Laura Sinville in the Psychology Department: [email protected].

The PRIA Requirement Must Be Completed by Tuesday, December 14th.