Signing up for Studies

You can learn about new studies by logging into Sona regularly, either on a web browser or through the Sona mobile app. You will also receive an email from us shortly after a new study is posted (unless you have unsubscribed from our emails).

Our lab studies do not run on a fixed schedule. They may fall within regular business hours, on weeknights, or on weekends. Please log into Sona to check the specific dates and times of upcoming sessions.

Most of our lab studies consist of one or two sessions (i.e., lab visits), and each session typically lasts between 45 and 90 minutes. Online studies are usually shorter, lasting between 15 and 45 minutes.

You can sign up for as many studies as you want. However, please only enroll in studies you can actually attend. If you accumulate three or more unexcused no-shows, your Sona account will be “limited”, meaning that you will not be able to view or sign up for any studies in the future.

Yes, you will receive an auto-generated reminder email the day before your session is scheduled to take place.

Before arriving at the BRL, you should have your Sona identity code ready (please see the FAQ entry below), as researchers will use this code to take attendance. No additional preparation is needed unless a researcher sends you an email beforehand and tells you otherwise.

Your Sona identity code (or “Sona ID”) is a unique, system-assigned number containing five or six digits. On Sona, you are identified to researchers by this code, and not by your name. When you come to the BRL for studies, researchers will ask you to provide your identity code so that they can update your participation status on Sona. Please note that your identity code is different from your “User ID”, which is the username you use to log into Sona.

You can find your identity code by logging into Sona and clicking on “My Profile” in the menu bar. This code will also be included in all auto-generated emails you receive from Sona.