“The new lab space will provide the PIE Center with enhanced capacity to conduct social science research in North Central Florida,” said PIE Center director Ricky Telg. “With ample parking in this part of campus, it would become the leading space at the university for focus group and other social science research.”
A critical component of equipping the lab was the purchase of Dialsmith perception analyzer technology. The dials can collect continuous moment-to-moment feedback in real-time as focus group participants interact with content ranging from pre-recorded videos to live public speeches.
By collecting data continuously from participants throughout their entire interaction with the materials, researchers can pinpoint critical points in the stimuli that are impactful to the audience.
During the 2021 Summer C semester at UF, associate professor of agricultural education and communication Lauri Baker taught a class in the Social Science Research Lab that focused on using perception dials to do research on topics related to agriculture.
Throughout the course, students learned how to use the perception dial software. They also designed and carried out a research study using the dials to examine the level of trust college students had for various messages and message sources related to the COVID-19 vaccine
“This research project allowed us to test different messages and see how the content affected participants’ perceptions of the vaccine,” said AEC graduate student Valentina Castano. “We also learned about platforms that students deemed trustworthy or untrustworthy when learning about the vaccine. This information is important because it can help scientists and science communicators understand how these messages impact students’ decisions to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.”
The UF/IFAS Social Science Research Lab is currently undergoing renovations and will be completed in 2022.
This story was featured in this year’s annual report.
