Undergraduate labs and computers: The case for PsychExps

PsychExps (http://www.olemiss.edu/PsychExps) is an interactive on-line psychology laboratory designed to facilitate teaching and conducting research over the Internet. With the increased use of the Web among students and the development of technology enabling the deployment of experiments via the Internet, a laboratory such as PsychExps appears to offer numerous advantages over the solely classroom-based laboratory. As part of the development of PsychExps, a survey was conducted, to assess the utility of this novel approach to the traditional computer-based psychology laboratory classes. Responses generally indicate interest in and a need for cost-effective resources such as an Internet-based laboratory. In addition, PsychExps offers several advantages over the mostly pedagogical and demonstration-based psychology sites on the Internet.