Research team:

PhD Student:                                           

Robin Owen:                   email robin.owen@bangor.ac.uk         phone 01248388273

Supervisors:   

Dr Vicky Gottwald          email v.m.gottwald@bangor.ac.uk      phone 01248382824

Dr Gavin Lawrence         email g.p.lawrence@bangor.ac.uk       phone 01248388282

Invitation to take part:

You are being invited to take part in a research study. Before you agree to take part it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please read the following information carefully. Ask us if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information. Take your time and if necessary, discuss your participation with friends and family to decide whether you wish to take part, or not.

Inclusion / exclusion criteria:

To take part you must be: between 18 and 35 years of age; and with normal / corrected to normal vision.

Unfortunately you cannot take part if you are: dyslexic; colour blind; on medication that alters your cognitive functioning or mood; have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); hungover and / or substantially more tired than normal; or currently have any other conditions that may influence normal learning / cognitive functioning.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact robin.owen@bangor.ac.uk

What is the background of this study?

The aim of this study is to investigate how initial cognitive tasks affect performance on subsequent cognitive tasks.

Do I have to take part in this study?

No, you do not have to take part in this study. Taking part in this study is entirely voluntary. If you do decide to take part, you will be given this information sheet to keep and be asked to sign a consent form. You are free to withhold answers to any questions within our questionnaires, and you are also free to withdraw at any point during data collection. Withdrawing from this study will NOT affect the outcome of your studies nor will it affect your standing with the researcher, or any staff member. Any data / information collected up until withdrawal will be destroyed.

If you complete the study but wish to have your anonymised data deleted, please contact the researcher (Robin Owen, robin.owen@bangor.ac.uk) within a month of participation.

If I choose to take part, what will happen to me?

If you choose to take part you will be asked to give approximately 30 minutes of your time. 

Firstly, you will complete two questionnaires on your self-control.

Secondly, you will perform a colour identification task (i.e., stroop task) followed by a questionnaire on how you feel.

Thirdly, you will complete one of 4 possible cognitive tasks. You will either: 1. re-type a random assortment of sentences from one half of the screen into a different textbox; 2. re-type a random assortment of sentences from one half of the screen into a different textbox, while always omitting certain letters in what you write; 3. write out a random assortment of sentences played via speakers, while always omitting certain letters in what you write; or 4. Watch a video of a woman being interviewed, whilst only paying close attention to a specific part of the video.

Fourthly, you will fill in 2 questionnaires on how you feel.

Fifthly, you will perform a colour identification task again (i.e., stroop task) followed by another questionnaire on how you feel.

Finally, you provide basic demographic information: i.e., your age, education-level, english-fluency

What are the possible advantages of taking part?

1. You will be entered into a participant-exclusive random prize-draw to win £100
2. If you are a Bangor University student, you can claim 5-BEA points for participating
3. You will get first-hand experience in exciting personality research.

What are the possible disadvantages of taking part?

The tasks may place a relatively light and short mental demand on you. This should be no different to paying close attention in a lecture or a theatre production or performing a relatively simple computer-based task.

Confidentiality

No one outside the research team will have full access to your data. Personal information, e.g. your name, email, age, education level, and english-fluency will remain strictly confidential.

Data collected via Psytoolkit Servers is https encrypted and securely stored on an independent server in Germany. Access to the data is password protected and only accessed by the research team.

Data downloaded from the Psytoolkit Servers for analysis will be pseudo-anonymised prior to any analysis. I.e., during data collection an arbitrary numerical code will be assigned to your data instead of your name. It should not be possible to identify you from this data or subsequent publications. Electronic data will be stored on a password protected hard drive inside of a locked PhD office in the George Building (Bangor, North Wales) and backed up on a password protected USB in the same location. This data will be stored for 5 years and deleted thereafter (both in soft-copy form and on Psytoolkit servers).

Who has reviewed the study?

This study has been given permission to go ahead by the SSHES Bangor Ethics Committee.

How do I give feedback on my experience?

SSHES is always keen to hear the views of research participants about their experience. If you would like to feedback, please ask your researcher to provide you with Form 6 – Participant Feedback Form – from the Ethics Guidelines Handbook. Completion of this form is optional. That form, or any concerns or complaints about this study, or the conduct of individuals conducting this study, should be referred to:

College Manager, College of Human Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2AS; or, e-mail: huw.ellis@bangor.ac.uk.

You are also welcome to contact the University’s assigned data protection officer (DPO) if for any reason, you wish to. The DOP of Bangor University can be contacted on these details: Mrs Gwenan Hine: gwenan.hine@bangor.ac.uk; 01248 382413.

Any questions?

Please ask the researcher (robin.owen@bangor.ac.uk) if you have questions about any part of this study. You should not sign the informed consent form if you have any unanswered questions or doubts.