Data that gets to the why
The Behavioral Research Lab is an essential part of Tippie’s research environment, giving faculty and doctoral students a flexible space to design experiments and study human behavior. From what shapes consumer choices to how people lead and make decisions, researchers uncover insights that deepen our understanding—and make a difference for businesses in the real world.
People are complicated. We study that.
Behavioral research helps us better understand how people make decisions, interact with organizations, respond to incentives, and navigate complex situations. The lab supports research across Tippie College of Business, giving faculty and doctoral students a place to test theories, uncover new insights, and produce work that can inform business practice, public policy, and society.
Areas of research include:
- Consumer behavior and marketing
- Leadership and organizational behavior
- Economic decision-making
- Accounting judgment and decision-making
- Team dynamics and collaboration
Researchers can put their questions to the test through computer-based experiments, surveys, eye-tracking studies, virtual reality research, and other experimental and behavioral studies.
Research in action
Examples of research conducted in the Behavioral Research Lab include:
Consumer decision-making and inequality
Researchers examined how perceptions of advantage and disadvantage influence consumer choice, finding that feelings of entitlement can affect how selective consumers are when making decisions.
Digital marketing and virtual reality
Researchers investigated how observing product touch in digital and virtual environments influences feelings of ownership, product evaluations, and purchase intentions.
And that's just a sample. Research in the lab spans consumer behavior, workplace dynamics, leadership, judgment and decision-making, accounting decision-making, and organizational performance that businesses can put to work for themselves.
Let's look around
The lab is designed to give researchers room to work—and options for how they do it. Dedicated spaces for experiments and data collection, specialized research technology, and flexible study areas support a range of methods for investigating important questions in business and society.
Small-group spaces
Designed for interviews and small-group studies, each room accommodates approximately three to four participants.
Computer lab
Designed for computer-based experiments, this room accommodates up to 30 participants and is equipped with LanSchool classroom management software.
Participant reception
A dedicated reception area supports participant check-in, waiting, and study coordination.
Collaborate with us
The Behavioral Research Lab welcomes collaboration with researchers, organizations, and industry partners interested in advancing knowledge related to decision-making, consumer behavior, leadership, and organizational effectiveness.
For information about facility availability, participant recruitment resources, or opportunities for collaboration, please contact the Tippie Research Office at tippie-research@uiowa.edu.