Paid Research Study

Mindrift•Santa Clara, CA

2h•Onsite

About The Position

Mindrift is conducting an in-person research study exploring how people communicate and interact in everyday group conversations. Adults in the Santa Clara Valley (South Bay) area are invited to participate in a paid, guided conversation session. Sessions take place on weekdays in Santa Clara or Sunnyvale and run for about 90 minutes. Participants check in with an on-site coordinator and join a small group of 2–4 people for a conversation led by a trained moderator. Topics are everyday and non-sensitive, such as planning a birthday celebration or making everyday decisions. Sessions are recorded on video and audio for research purposes. Participation is voluntary and requires signing a consent form explaining what is involved and how recordings are used and stored. Participants may ask questions and choose to withdraw. Each person may participate once.

Requirements

Be 18–64 years of age.
Live in or be able to travel to Santa Clara Valley (South Bay), California.
Be comfortable holding a conversation in English; non-native speakers and all accents are welcome.
Be comfortable being recorded on video and audio during the session.
Be able to attend one in-person session on a weekday between November 2026 and March 2027.
Not have participated in this study before; each person participates once.
No previous experience is required.

Nice To Haves

A flexible weekday schedule; the study notes that students, stay-at-home parents, retirees, freelancers, and others with flexible weekday schedules may be a good fit.
Adults aged 50–64 and people who speak English as a second language are especially welcome.

Responsibilities

Check in on site with the study coordinator and follow their guidance through the session.
Join a small group of 2–4 people for a guided conversation led by a trained moderator.
Discuss everyday, non-sensitive topics.
Participate in a session lasting about 90 minutes.
Allow the session to be recorded on video and audio for research purposes.