How our research is shaping the future of business and economics

The Deakin Behavioural Lab conducts evidence-based behavioural science research that impact the business sector, consumers and society. We offer a collaborative, purpose-built space for researchers to conduct experiments and understand human behaviour. Our critical insights shape academia, industry and student outcomes.

Our facilities

Our research studies are conducted at Deakin's Melbourne Burwood Campus using state-of-the-art lab equipment to enable groundbreaking behavioural science research. Our facilities include:

  • open spaces with reconfigurable room dividers
  • break-out space for participant interactions
  • mobile desk with privacy screen
  • separated video observation room
  • laptop terminals
  • implicit attitude measurement
  • emotion recognition
  • thermal cameras
  • virtual reality technology.

How to participate in our research studies

The Deakin Behavioural Lab engages participant groups made up of Deakin students interested in behavioural research. We are constantly looking for students to add to our pool of participants for future research projects. If you are interested in receiving information about future experiments, please note:

  • No prior knowledge required
  • Students can sign-up regardless of their course
  • Each experiment takes about 30–60 minutes
  • Students will be reimbursed for their time
  • Participation in individual experiments is entirely voluntary

Contact our team to learn more

Understand consumer behaviour

When you study a research degree or PhD at Deakin you'll build a thriving career in business and solve real-world challenges facing the industry and the community.

Deakin’s Behavioural Lab turns data into direction, guiding smarter decisions for business, consumers and society.

Dr Jeff Rotman

Senior Lecturer in the Department of Marketing at Deakin Business School

Our researchers

Our research is made up of academics from accounting, economics, finance, law, management and marketing, who specialise in experimental design and behavioural research.

Dr Jeff Rotman is a senior lecturer in the marketing at Deakin Business School and the recipient of the 2021 Vice-Chancellor's Early Career Researcher Award for Career Excellence. He specialises in research on consumer psychology with a specific focus on the areas of morality, ethics, justice and emotion.

Professor Joshua Newton is a professor of marketing and the co-founder of Deakin’s Better Consumption Lab. He has a research focus on developing market-based solutions that promote sustainability and public health, as well as generating consumer insights to drive impactful products and services.

Dr Aaron Nicholas is a senior lecturer in the economics at Deakin Business School, as well as a behavioural and experimental economist. He is specifically interested in how the rules of the market (e.g. competition,
prices, profit-seeking) and the 'rules of the family' (e.g. altruism, reciprocal exchange, fairness) interact.

Featured projects

We bring together academics, industry leaders and Deakin students to conduct cutting-edge behavioural research in business and economics.

Altruism in exchange

This project is on income redistribution.  Specifically, we examine whether individuals prefer to redistribute to the poor directly by being altruistic to them during a market interaction (‘exchange’) or indirectly via a charity as a third person without direct interaction.

Physiological correlations of emotions in decision making

This project investigates whether emotional states are associated with measurable changes in body temperature and how those physiological changes impact decision making and guide behaviour.

Contact us

Please get in touch if you would like to know more about Deakin Behavioural Lab, collaborate with us or to participate in a research study.

Email our team