Two days ago, I got my first real taste as a researcher when I ran my first study. While my lab-mates Katherine, Aisha, and I are waiting to recruit participants for Dr. Artistico’s clinical intervention study on motivation and exercise, we are currently helping our lab manager, Sara, run her study in the meantime. Sara’s study relates to how people perceive themselves in relation to others and how these perceptions affect their self-efficacy, or their belief in their own capability to achieve a goal.

When 6:30pm came and it was time to start the study, only two our of the four participants ended up showing up. Believe it or not, although there were only two participants, I was still so nervous! As other students discussed earlier that day in our graduate prep class, several people mentioned how it was a strange feeling being on the “opposite side,” not as a participant, but as a researcher. After running my first study, I can totally relate to this feeling! I think it will take some time to get comfortable with this new role as an authority figure, and also fulfilling my new duties of setting up the lab, instructing and debriefing the participants, and carefully obtaining the data.

Looking back, I laugh and wonder if those two participants noticed my sweaty palms or quivering voice! To prepare for conducting future studies (my next one is on Monday) and to alleviate my anxiety, I plan to practice reading the scripts out loud, and remembering to stress certain parts of the directions more than others. I will tell myself to just breathe and remember that everything will turn out fine.

Did anyone else run their first study or do something totally new and out of their comfort zone this week in their lab?

(Contributed by Daphne Palasi)