New UF study to see if the game of Monopoly can change subtle behaviors » HealthStreet » College of Public Health and Health Professions

Aside from being the go-to board game for most family game nights, Monopoly has become a tradition in American entertainment and culture. Health researchers in the Department of Health Outcomes & Policy in the College of Medicine at the University of Florida are conducting a research study to see if financial circumstances presented during Monopoly may play a role in affecting our decisions and behaviors.

The study, “Influence of Monopoly Game on Subtle Behaviors” specifically aims to investigate how financial circumstances in a game of Monopoly may influence subtle behaviors. Headed by Principal Investigator Michelle Cardel, PhD, RD, and Research Coordinator Darci Miller, MPH, CHES; the study focuses on Hispanic American adolescents (aged 15-21), a population that is widely understudied in research. All participants in the study are asked to come in for a four-hour study visit during which they will complete questionnaires regarding their health status and provide demographic information. “We also provide physical activity trackers and a food diary to each participant to use over a 24-hour period after the study visit,” Cardel said. Along with monetary compensation, participants will also be provided breakfast and lunch. Cardel hopes the study findings will help inform future intervention strategies to promote well-being of Hispanic adolescents. “Hispanics are the fastest growing population in the United States, and understudied in research,” Cardel said. “It’s important to understand the behavior of Hispanic adolescents and how that impacts their health.” HealthStreet’s recruitment efforts have been enlisted to assist in research participation. “We hope that HealthStreet can spread the word about our study in the community to Hispanic American adolescents and their families,” Cardel said. “We would like to reach additional high school students in the Gainesville community in hopes of gaining more involvement from those outside the university.” To see how HealthStreet can assist in recruiting willing participants for your health research study, contact Lauren Light at laurenmlight@ufl.edu or by phone at (352) 294-4873.