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F.A.Q. AND LINKS [F.A.Q.] [Links] |
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Where is the McMaster Experimental Economics Laboratory? We are currently housed in Togo Salmon Hall, Room TSH 111. The only entrance is through a pair of silver doors opening onto the patio between Togo Salmon Hall and Kenneth Taylor Hall (not available once you are in Togo Salmon Hall itself). Pass through these outside doors, turn right and then left to come to TSH 111. If you do not have an appointment you may need to ring the buzzer. Please click here for a map showing our location. Tell me more about McEEL and its history. The McMaster Experimental Economics Laboratory opened in March 1994. Although there are similar facilities at universities in the United States and Europe, this is the first laboratory in Canada to be dedicated to computer-mediated interactive experiments in economics and related disciplines. The laboratory was originally located in the basement of Brandon Hall on the McMaster University campus. In March, 2006, it was relocated to Togo Salmon Hall, TSH/111. The initial costs of renovations and the acquisition of equipment were financed by a grant from Environment Canada's Green Plan to the Tri-Council administered McMaster Eco-Research Program for Hamilton Harbour, and contributions from DuPont Canada and McMaster University. The Tri-Council funding was obtained by David Feeny, Stuart Mestelman, and R. Andrew Muller to investigate economic instruments for achieving environmental objectives and to study alternative methods of managing common pool resources such as Hamilton Harbour. The Laboratory is available to faculty and graduate students at McMaster University who are studying market institutions and collective decision-making and who wish to use laboratory methods in their research. The facilities are also available to researchers outside of McMaster University. More information is available here. What do I have to do in an economic experiment? This depends on the experiment being run. Many experiments use computers to aid and record participants' decisions. Experiments often require that you read instructions, which are often read allowed by a laboratory staff member, to introduce you to the experiment and the computer interface. You are expected to be punctual for the experiment. We suggest arriving ten to fifteen minutes before the start of an experiment. Participants arriving late for an experiment may be precluded from participating and forfeit any show-up payment. What happens if too many people show up at an experiment? Because it is so important for us to have a full session, we usually recruit more participants than are required. We admit participants to the to the session as they arrive. Anyone arriving after the session is filled but before the announced start time will be paid a show-up fee and offered an opportunity to participate in a future session with a guarantee that as long as they arrive before the announced start time they will have a place in that session. Do I have to be taking economics to participate in an experiment? No. We recruit students from all years and from all disciplines. However, from time to time we do need to recruit specific types of students. You will be notified of any specific requirements at the time of recruiting. Will I be paid for participating? Amounts paid differ according to each specific experiment. Most experiments pay participants in two ways. Firstly, there is often a show-up fee paid to all participants who show up at least 5 minutes early and who participate in the experiment. Secondly, you may receive money based on the decisions you and others make during an experiment. All payments are made in private after the experiment is complete. How long does an experiment usually last? Most experiments last from one to two hours but sometimes there are exceptions. You will be notified during recruitment of the expected maximum length of the experiment. You are always free to withdraw during an experiment. However, if you withdraw before the expected maximum length of the experiment you will forfeit any money earned during the experiment. (You will keep your show-up fee). Can I participate in more than one experiment? You can participate in as many experiments as you would like. However, there are some experiments for which previous experience will make you ineligible. Further, once you have participated in a certain type of experiment, you may be ineligible to participate in similar experiments. Can I bring a friend to an experiment? Not one that has not signed up. We encourage you to tell your friends about the laboratory but make sure that they sign up on our web site. Only participants who have properly signed up for an experiment are eligible to participate. What about privacy? Any personal information collected during an experiment will be used only for the purposes of the experiment and will not be released to others. Some personal information is required when registering for an experiment. However, this information is used only for recruiting and will not be made available to anyone outside of the laboratory staff. Steps have been taken to secure all information in the online database. If I have other questions, who can I contact? Any questions should be directed to mceel@mcmaster.ca.
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