What is prolific?

Prolific: Information for Participants

Prolific is a platform used for online academic research. It connects researchers with participants who are willing to complete studies in exchange for payment. It's commonly used in fields like psychology, economics, and social sciences.

• Purpose: Prolific facilitates the recruitment of participants for research studies, ensuring researchers can gather diverse and representative data. Participants, in turn, earn money for their time and contributions.

• How it Works:

  • For Researchers: Researchers design studies and create tasks on the Prolific platform. They set criteria for participant eligibility (e.g., age, demographics, location).

  • For Participants: Participants create a profile on Prolific and answer screening questions. They are then shown studies that match their profile and can choose which ones to participate in. Upon completion of a study, participants are typically paid via Prolific's payment system (linked to their bank account).

• Key Features:

  • Screening and Demographics: Prolific allows researchers to target specific populations through detailed screening questions. This helps ensure data quality and relevance.
  • Payment and Compensation: Participants are paid for their time, and Prolific enforces fair payment standards. The amount paid usually reflects the time commitment required for the study.
  • Data Quality: Prolific implements measures to maintain data quality, such as attention checks and bot detection, reducing the risk of dishonest responses.
  • Ethical Considerations: Prolific promotes ethical research practices, requiring researchers to obtain informed consent from participants and adhere to ethical guidelines.

• Benefits for Participants:

  • Earn Money: Participants can earn money by completing studies in their spare time.
  • Contribute to Research: Participants play a vital role in advancing scientific knowledge.
  • Flexible Participation: Participants can choose which studies to participate in based on their interests and availability.

• Things to Note as a Participant:

  • Honesty is Key: Provide honest and accurate responses to study questions. Researchers rely on your genuine input.
  • Read Instructions Carefully: Follow the instructions provided for each study. This ensures you are completing the tasks correctly.
  • Maintain Your Profile: Keep your profile information up-to-date. This helps Prolific match you with relevant studies.
  • Be Aware of Attention Checks: Some studies include attention checks to ensure participants are engaged. Pay attention to the tasks to avoid being excluded from the study.
  • Communication: Prolific provides a communication system for participants to contact researchers with questions or concerns.
  • Payment Delays: Payments may occasionally take some time to process; however, contacting the researcher or Prolific support can help resolve the issue.