UNO Magazine: Decoding Behavior, Driving Business

The story below appeared in the Summer 2024 edition of UNO Magazine.

This fall marks 10 years of groundbreaking and innovative research being conducted at the Jack & Stephanie Koraleski Commerce and Applied Behavioral Laboratory (CAB Lab) inside the University of Nebraska at Omaha's (UNO) College of Business Administration (CBA). The lab is a state-of-the-art research facility that enables diverse experimental research with immense practical implications. The Koraleski CAB Lab equips researchers with the tools to capture and analyze rich neuro-physiological data by combining eye-tracking, pupil dilation, facial expression, skin conductance (galvanic skin response or GSR) and virtual reality.

“The lab forces researchers to think differently about their ideas or their research methods,” said Dr. Muntaha Bani Hani, the lab’s Director of Applied Research Operations and Administration. “The lab provides the tools to bridge the gap between theoretical research and applied research. It makes the research applicable to businesses. So, as we innovate, we can look at problems differently and we can help businesses figure out the best way to attract customers.”

This combination of technologies is rare among business schools. At the time of its founding, the Koraleski CAB Lab was one of only 22 in the U.S.

Bani Hani and her team of graduate and undergraduate research assistants are currently working on a project that involves eye-tracking technology and food labels. They are exploring how consumers interact with food labels to reveal what they notice first and the subtleties of their understanding and use in daily decisions, thereby informing more effective food labeling strategies.

“We can look at their website, and the user interface, how can that be modified based on eye tracking and facial expression analysis?” said Bani Hani “So, we can use this analysis to inform businesses in Omaha and the entire Nebraska market.”

The lab has partnered with several Omaha and greater Nebraska area companies including Union Pacific Railroad, Gallup, Kiewit and the Department of Defense to conduct applied business research.

“The CAB Lab bridges the gap and connects students and researchers with businesses in the community,” said Bani Hani “We are trying to reach businesses across the state so they know that we have this lab that they can utilize for their business, and it can help them generate more revenue and reach their goals.” Each of the students who work in the lab and help to conduct the studies do so for different reasons, but they all agree that the ability to take part in innovative research is a big part of the draw for them.

“One of the many reasons I love this job is that it allows me to use the skills that I learn in my classes. From economics to marketing, to sales, I get to contribute to the lab and hone my skills for my future career,” said Sylvia Hutfless, undergraduate research assistant in the CAB Lab.

Graduate research assistant Kellie Lindsay utilized the tools in the lab to conduct a study based on her master’s thesis on emotional responses and economic decision-making. Her work has also been published in an academic journal, an achievement uncommon among master’s level scholars.

Are you a business owner who is interested in working with the lab? Email them at unocablab@unomaha.edu.