Thank you for your interest in the Adult Volunteer Pool! The Adult Volunteer Pool (AVP) is a service that connects older adults (55-80 years old) interested in participating in psychology studies with labs at the University of Toronto (St. George Campus). The AVP has been running a participant pool since the late 1990s to meet the demand of labs at the University of Toronto’s Psychology Department, who are always looking for new participants.
Although each study differs in its details, participants can expect most studies conducted at the University to take between 1-2 hours to complete, with most requiring the volunteer to come in for only one testing session. Most of our tasks are either paper- or computer-based, although no computer experience is necessary. Some of our researchers are also conducting neuroimaging studies where machinery like fMRIs (functional magnetic resonance imaging) are used. You may be invited to participate should you wish to sign up. Each lab here at the University of Toronto has its own focus, so our volunteers can expect to participate in studies from diverse fields of psychology, such as memory, social cognition, visual cognition, attention, and neurocognition.
Volunteers may choose to participate as much or as little as they would like upon invitation. Typically, volunteers will be contacted once or twice per year. Occasionally, we may also send out surveys to volunteers to complete online. Participation is always voluntary and our researchers will strive to accommodate your schedule as much as possible, so you can come in at a time that works for you. We generally offer sessions throughout the morning, afternoon, and evening. In addition, volunteers are compensated $18/hour.
For more information, please feel free to contact us. You can also sign up as a volunteer on this site!