Prolific Academic Survey Alerts

Mum161111

Re:  Investigating Perspective-Taking and Belief Reasoning in an Older Population
By Cameron McCabe
£6.00 • £7.57/hr
47 mins

I spent 70 minutes completing this study and submitted with the Completion Code I received.  I was asked by the Researcher to Return the Study - my effort was not good enough - "Participant received too many incorrect responses".

I Returned the Study, as requested.  When I contacted the Researcher this was the response:

"It is quite a difficult experiment and so we expect a lot of participants returning their submissions."

I did my very best to ensure that I was polite but I replied saying that I had Returned my submission, not quite voluntarily, but because I was asked to.  I feared the alternative would be to have a "Rejection" marked on my Prolific Account.

The Researcher's response made me wonder how many submissions were made and how many were "Rejected" by asking, as the Researcher expected, for them to be "Returned."  I don't think it will be possible to find out.

olliebean

If it's a "difficult experiment," I would still expect to be compensated for time spent, or screened out close to the start on the basis of some sample questions (and still compensated for the lesser time spent). If they know that it's difficult enough that they expect a lot of incorrect responses, they should take that into account when judging participants' effort. I'd be inclined to report the study to Prolific.

onemouseplace

I'd be inclined to report that study as well - especially as you have evidence that the researcher expected a lot of returns as it was difficult, despite a significant amount of time being spent.

Mum161111

Thank you ollibean and onemouseplace.  I have reported the Study to Prolific and have asked for their opinion.  There were no attemtion checks to fail and I was asked to Return because:  "Participant received too many incorrect responses."

snowwhyte

There is one of those AI political discussion studies up. I enjoy those but I tend to go over the time because I get caught up in the discussion.

elsien

I’d really like an option with those ones for “model was too sycophantic”. 

It’s trained to be polite, but if I get the “that  was a great answer!” Style of response one more time I’m going to punch my laptop.

I did a rate the answer one yesterday and had to keep telling it to stop presuming I was American

snowwhyte

Yeah had to laugh at the political one. Apparently I am kind, thoughtful, intelligent and every comment I made was insightful and showed an incredible depth of understanding. 
I guess the AI thinks the way to convince people of a certain political opinion is to use flattery. It's probably not wrong in that but after a certain point it becomes so over the top that it starts to sound like mockery.

elsien

snowwhyte said:

Yeah had to laugh at the political one. Apparently I am kind, thoughtful, intelligent and every comment I made was insightful and showed an incredible depth of understanding. 
I guess the AI thinks the way to convince people of a certain political opinion is to use flattery. It's probably not wrong in that but after a certain point it becomes so over the top that it starts to sound like mockery.

All completely true of course. 

Slinky

Is anyone else struggling to access Prolific today? Can't get connected via laptop or iphone.  The widget on my laptop just show ERR. There was an iphone update overnight. I cannot see Prolific in the app store. Flipping annoying as I wanted to draw down my balance today as it's the last day of the month.

libra10

Yes, I'm finding the same.

Had just finished one of their surveys, but unable to return to website.

Hope that it is sorted soon.