Case Study: Louisiana State University demonstrates auditory distraction effects online with Prolific

Louisiana State University validates online audio distraction testing with Prolific across 3 participant groups

Louisiana State University, specifically Professor Emily Elliott's cognitive psychology research team, sought to investigate whether a well-established auditory distraction effect, the irrelevant sound effect, could be reliably studied using online testing methods. The challenge was to move beyond traditional in-person lab studies with university students and determine if robust cognitive effects could be replicated with a broader, online participant pool while ensuring proper audio setup for valid results. To achieve this, they utilized the Prolific platform to recruit an online sample.

The solution involved using Prolific to recruit a participant group, which was tested alongside traditional lab and online student groups. A key part of the solution was employing software on the Prolific platform to conduct a headphone check, ensuring participants were in a suitable environment. The results confirmed the effect was clearly present and significant in the online Prolific sample, demonstrating that this type of auditory research can be successfully conducted online. This outcome is a game-changer for the field, as Prolific enables researchers to access larger, more diverse populations for this line of study.

Louisiana State University