New Facilities

Experimental Social Science Laboratory

The new lab is comprised of 26 experiment stations, two observation stations and audio/video equipment.

The new "xs/fs" (Experimental Social Science at Florida State) laboratory in the Bellamy building was installed in the Fall of 2006. The lab was designed and equipped to support a broad range of decision-making experiments for social science research. Experiments of this nature typically involve subjects engaging in individual-choice tasks or interacting through software designed to mimic an auction, a committee decision-making situation or some other form of social interaction. Observing subjects' decisions in these virtual markets or groups can provide a better understanding of how people may behave in similar situations outside the lab.

Each station's computer screen is visually isolated to allow for tighter control of information flow during an experiment.

The new lab consists of 26 stations with computer screens that are visually isolated to allow for tighter control of information flow during an experiment. The lab is also equipped with two observation stations, one at the front and a separate observation room at the back, as well as audio/video equipment, which allows experimenters a variety of ways to interact with subjects.

The new xs/fs lab greatly enhances Florida State researchers' ability to carry out their work. Although an existing lab in the Claude Pepper building is equipped with 16 stations and a separate observation room, the new lab allows for much greater flexibility. Moreover, with 10 faculty members from a range of departments already utilizing the existing lab (and more planning to do so), there was a need for additional capacity. Further, the new lab's 10 extra seats allow for a broader range of experiments, and with two labs it's now possible to conduct larger experiments and, when necessary, keep subject populations separated.