HBS Research Study Participation

Welcome to the home page for participation in research studies through the Harvard Business School. Most of our studies take place on the Harvard Business School Campus, but we also conduct a few on-line studies that can be taken from any computer with an internet connection. We welcome new, current and former study participants--and your friends! Please read the following general information if you are interested in participating.

Eligibility Requirements

Must be at least 18 years of age
Must not be on the payroll at Harvard University
Must be fluent in English
Must be a U.S. citizen or eligible to receive payment from Harvard University—see details
You cannot participate in the same study more than once.
Observe other eligibility restrictions in specific study descriptions

Compensation

For most studies conducted at HBS, payments range from $15 to $40, with an average of $20-$25. Minimum payment of $10 if you sign up, are eligible, and show up. Note: To receive any payment, you must arrive on time! See below for payments for on-line studies.

Study Information

Studies usually last 1 to 2 hours (payments are higher for longer experiments).
Most studies are conducted on computers, so familiarity with computers is required.
Study topics include decision making, marketing, bargaining, negotiation, auctions.
Studies may involve interactions with others.
Specific information is provided in the study descriptions under "Current Studies."

On-line Study Information

Even if you are not a local resident, you can register to participate in online studies.
On-line studies generally take 15-45 minutes to complete. You are typically given a window of 12-48 hours to complete the study.
For most online studies, payments range from $5 to $25; the most frequent payment is $5. Most payments will be in the form of electronic gift certificates, but this will be included in the recruitment announcement. We will need your SSN (or Visa information) before you are eligible for on-line studies. Go to "Update Profile" to make any changes. Click here for more information.

Signing Up

Register for the subject pool by completing the form connected to the "Register" button in the upper left-hand panel of this page. You only need to do this once. If you register twice with conflicting information you could be blocked from all CLER studies. Please go to "Update Profile" if you need to update any of your registration information.
After you're registered, sign up for studies through the forms connected to the "Current Studies" button in upper left-hand panel of this page. Once you log on through our secure web page you will see a list of studies you might be eligible for based on information you have provided in your profile. Please read the study description carefully, as it may list other eligibility criteria. If you do not meet all requirements for the study, you may be turned away from the session or denied compensation.
You can also use the current studies page to remove yourself from a study if something comes up and you cannot attend.

Showing Up: Important to Arrive on Time

Many experiments require a minimum or specific number of participants, so it is very important to show up if you have confirmed. The researcher may not be able to run the experiment if there are not enough participants present.
Participants must arrive on time to be eligible for any payment.
You must provide a valid ID upon request.

Free Parking

If you confirm your participation for a study by 3:00PM on the business day before the study, you are eligible for free parking (on a space-available basis) in the Harvard Business School parking lot. Just give your name to the parking attendant and let him or her know that you are attending the research experiment in the "CLER Lab." Occasionally, participants are asked to pay the parking fee (currently $10). If this happens to you even after pointing out that you are there for the "CLER Lab" session, save your parking receipt and you can be reimbursed.

Directions

Click on the "Directions" button on the upper left-hand panel of this screen for directions to the Computer Lab for Experimental Research (CLER), where most of the studies are conducted. If the study is to be conducted somewhere else, this information will appear in the study description. We really appreciate your participation and hope your experience is a good one. Please contact cler@hbs.edu with additional questions or concerns. Thank you!

The use of this website is at your own risk. We make no representations of our ability to offer study opportunities to volunteers and we reserve the right to terminate, discontinue or deactivate any participant or applicant at any time for any reason with or without notice.

e-mail us