Online Research for PhDs and PIs - New Possibilities - with Gorilla Experiment Builder
Welcome to this post dedicated to exploring the transformative potential of online research, in partnership with Gorilla Experiment Builder. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the landscape of behavioral research has evolved dramatically, with digital platforms offering unprecedented opportunities for innovation and collaboration. Join us as we delve into the dynamic world of online research, highlighting the invaluable insights shared by experts from Gorilla Experiment Builder. From cutting-edge tools to addressing common concerns, this post serves as a guide for researchers seeking to harness the full capabilities of digital methodologies. Let's revolutionize the way we conduct behavioral science research in the 21st century.
About the Speakers
Jo Evershed is the Founder CEO of Gorilla Experiment Builder, a powerful, flexible and intuitive platform for running behavioural research online that allows researchers to go far beyond surveys. She also convenes and hosts the Behavioural Science Online Conference. As an Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award Winner and Computer Weekly Rising Star Women In Tech, Jo is on a mission to provide behavioural scientists with tools to liberate their work from the lab and accelerate research initiatives that can be tested rigorously at scale. Jo leads a multidisciplinary team of software engineers and psychologists focused on creating powerful and accessible experimental research infrastructure.
Johanna Tomczak works as a Research Specialist at Gorilla Experiment Builder. She completed her degree in Mathematics, Computer Science and Cognitive Science at the University of Grenoble (France), before obtaining her PhD in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Leeds (UK) in 2022. Her thesis, which examined the impact of bilingualism and ageing on the communication between the cerebral hemispheres, has shown her the benefits of online research and she decided to join Gorilla to work on improving behavioural science as a whole.
Additional Resources
Due diligence support information
Webinar about improving participant engagement
Previous Sage Partnered Gorilla Webinars:
Q&A
+ Is Gorilla applied in qualitative research?
This platform offers a range of survey components for qualitative research, including open text responses, multiple choice questions, and image, audio and video stimuli. It allows for various data collection methods, such as talk-out-loud protocols and video recordings, even enabling the creation of sign language corpora. Subsequent analysis can be conducted outside the platform, offering flexibility for researchers.
+ How is data security ensured?
We meet stringent data security standards required by universities worldwide and are fully GDPR-compliant, ensuring robust protection for human data. With extensive experience across 1,000 universities, we undergo rigorous assessments and maintain top-tier servers subject to annual penetration testing. Our platform offers comprehensive data processing agreements, privacy policies, and tools for anonymous data collection and minimization. We prioritize data security, providing customizable options to safeguard sensitive information effectively.
+ How do you ensure that the participants are not bots or bad actors?
We offer various options to control for factors like attention checks in tasks, allowing researchers to filter out incomplete data effectively. Using Gorilla, you only pay for complete participants, minimizing costs associated with incomplete responses. Online research with Gorilla generally shows minimal evidence of checkbox or bot issues, ensuring data quality.
+ In using Gorilla for teaching, do you have sort of a user manual that people can use to get started?
Our platform supports student success with onboarding tutorials and resources, including the Gorilla Academy and Gorilla support pages. Many universities use Gorilla for undergraduate teaching, enabling students to engage in research projects and gain valuable skills. We offer ample samples and materials, alongside webinars teaching effective navigation and modification. Gorilla Open Materials provide additional content for exploration and extension of research projects.
+ From a Research Ethics perspective, do you have automatic debrief material following the use of deception during research data collection, built into the software?
Researchers are responsible for debriefing participants appropriately after experiments, given the vast range of methods and experiments conducted. The Experiment Builder allows researchers to create debriefing materials to be presented at the end of the experiment, enhancing the participant experience and gathering valuable feedback. It's good practice to solicit feedback from participants on their experience to improve future experiments. Utilizing the debrief screen for feedback can greatly enhance the quality of research outcomes.
+ Do you provide official statements on participant confidentiality for IRB purposes?
Our data security policies and confidentiality can be found on this due diligence page.
+ How does Gorilla access participant data and is an additional disclaimer necessary for participant consent?
As a data processor, we only access data with explicit permission granted by users. This access is limited to situations where users request assistance, implicitly granting permission to our support desk. Users retain control over their data, and we only access it to support research purposes with explicit user consent. We adhere strictly to contractual agreements and ethical guidelines regarding data access and privacy.
+ When studying reaction time, how do you ensure/control for internet speed?
On Gorilla, researchers can restrict participants to have certain connection speeds to be able to access their experiments. The online timing accuracy page provides a useful resource to review the differences in terms of timing between online and lab-based research.
+ What are some innovative online research methodologies that you've found effective for PhDs and PIs?
Replicating lab studies online ensures data quality and comparison. Utilize resources like onboarding webinars for tool familiarization. Researchers can then explore theoretical extensions, like age or cultural differences, using multiplayer tools or gamified simulations to enhance research depth and applicability.
+ Can you share examples of successful online research projects conducted by PhDs or PIs?
A lot of them can be found on the BeOnline conference page, hosted by Gorilla.
+ What advice do you have for PhD students and PIs looking to integrate online research into their projects?
Exploring diverse experiments on platforms like Gorilla offers valuable insights. Utilize resources like onboarding webinars and support documentation to familiarize yourself with tools and capabilities. Start by replicating lab studies online to ensure data quality and comparison. Then, explore theoretical extensions using multiplayer tools or gamified simulations to broaden studies and enhance research findings.
+ Could I do a longitudinal study where the same participants log-in and complete a task once a week for many weeks and it can keep track of these participants (mixed model design, both between and within-subjects)?
Of course, this is definitely possible. Researchers can design multi-session studies on Gorilla and participants will be prompted to complete the next session once the time has come for them to be invited back.
+ It seems your tool can eliminate, for example, lab bias (people often behave differently in lab environments than in natural environments - and today, most of us feel naturally in front of a screen). On the other hand, the ability to control the course of the experiment could be minimal. How do we know the respondent conducted the experiment as it should have been? In other words, does Gorilla offer tools to eliminate respondents' biases? In the case of eye-tracking, how are measurement calibration and accuracy ensured?
A good starting point could be to think about the illusion of control we usually have in lab-based experiments. More specifically, there are several researchers who have already tried eye-tracking in the browser – successfully! Gorilla offers calibration.
+ Could we “manipulate” other parts of the 'shop builder' e.g. the Privacy notice?
Most things in Gorilla are customisable, including the Shop Builder settings. Have a look at the complete guide with Gorilla’s tools and services.