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Best of 2014: Behavioral Lab Opens

The new Koraleski CAB Lab

The new Koraleski CAB Lab will allow UNO researchers to better study human responses to advertising messages and human-computer interactions

It was a special year for UNO in 2014 with countless events, achievements, special guest visits and national recognitions for students, faculty, staff and alumni.

The university continues to expand its facilities to support a dedication to research, a growing student population, evolving technology, and community engagement.

In October, the Jack & Stephanie Koraleski Commerce and Applied Behavioral Laboratory (CAB Lab) was dedicated at Mammel Hall, home of the UNO College of Business Administration.

"New Behavioral Lab Dedicated"

October 2014

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is the new official home of the Jack & Stephanie Koraleski Commerce and Applied Behavioral Laboratory (CAB Lab) — a state of the art research facility that places the UNO College of Business Administration on the forefront of academic research.

The lab, which was officially dedicated on Friday, Oct. 24 in Mammel Hall, will allow scholars to explore topics including:

  • entrepreneurial insight
  • complex problem solving
  • individual and group cognition
  • team collaboration
  • cognitive biases in decision making
  • use of social media in extremist group’s propaganda
  • emotional effects of online advertising


Operations of the lab will be led by a core research group comprised of faculty from the College of Business Administration and from the College of Information Science and Technology. Initial research projects examine how online messages influence individuals toward violent groups, the cognitive processes underlying the development of novel and valuable solutions to strategic management problems, and the interaction of automation and human cognition when making decisions in times of stress and crisis.

“A behavioral lab of this size and complexity differentiates the UNO College of Business Administration from other universities in a significant way,” said Gina Ligon, assistant professor of management. “We benchmarked 22 behavioral labs in business schools and were able to build one that offers our researchers and collaborators a combination of the cutting edge technology that is just not found at any other school in the nation. This unique resource will allow faculty to be on the forefront of leadership, influence, decision making, and other applied behavioral research.”

The Oct. 24 dedication, which is invite only, but open to the media, will feature guests from industry, government and academia. Faculty and students trained on the Koraleski CAB Lab instrumentation and equipment will provide demonstrations of capabilities and discuss their research projects with guests.

“We are so grateful for the vision and generosity of the Koraleski family,” Doug Derrick, assistant professor of IT Innovation at the UNO College of Information Science and Technology. “This lab will provide insights into some of the most important research questions of our day and will help unlock the connections between our thoughts, emotions, physiology and actions. These factors are the core of the human experience regardless of the field of research; thanks to the Koraleski's foresight, UNO is now uniquely positioned to achieve meaningful understanding into these fundamental relationships.”

Conceived by a group of visionary researchers across multiple disciplines at UNO, the new Koraleski CAB Lab provides researchers with the tools to capture and analyze rich neuro-physiological data by combining eye-tracking, pupil dilation, facial expression, skin conductance (GSR) and electroencephelography (EEG).

Additionally, the lab features a mobile component, which can be used in field research. This combination of technologies is rare among business schools.

The College of Business Administration is partnering with Cambridge-based iMotions, the developer of the leading biometric and neuromarketing research platform, Attention Tool®, to provide the equipment/technology and software housed in the lab.

“We are very proud to deliver leading edge technology to this new mega lab at University of Nebraska at Omaha,” iMotions Founder and CEO Peter Hartzbech, said. “It has been a long and thorough selection process and we are excited to bring this newly designed mega lab up in the world class biometric research level from the get go. We look forward to following all the exciting research and publications that will come out of this lab for many years.”

Other Thoughts on the Lab from UNO Faculty

“What is so exciting about the Koraleski CAB Lab is the opportunity it provides for researchers and students alike,” said Erin Pleggenkuhle-Miles, assistant professor of management. “Not only do faculty now have access to cutting-edge technologies that will provide a unique look inside the black-box of human cognition and behavior, but students have the opportunity to engage in that research — be it through participation in a study, or in assisting in research design. It is a unique situation at a business school and one that makes me excited and proud to be part of.”

“As the availability and speed of information increases, the need to understand and model human cognition and behavior has become increasingly relevant,” said Leif Lundmark, assistant professor of management. “The end goal is to provide unique contributions to existing theory while simultaneously identifying practical improvements in how individuals and groups operate in a complex and dynamic business environment.”

About iMotions A/S (imotionsglobal.com)
iMotions is an eye tracking and biometric sensor software platform company originally founded in 2005, headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark with a US office at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. iMotions develops and markets Attention Tool®, which is the most comprehensive, easy to use and scalable bio sensor and eye tracking software platform available in the market today. The platform is designed with and for MarketResearch companies, Universities, Usability Labs and Gaming companies, and Neuromarketers. iMotions has clients in 37 countries and many major Brands, Corporations and Universities use its Attention Tool software such as Harvard University, Yale University, P&G and Nestle.