INFORMATION SHEET FOR PARTICIPANTS
Ethical Clearance Reference Number: PsyREC-RA-205-23/24
Title of project
The Role of Personal Attitudes and Personality on Juror Decision Making: A Mixed Methods Study
Invitation Paragraph
I would like to invite you to participate in this research project which forms part of my level 7 research dissertation. Before you decide whether you want to take part, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what your participation will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. Ask me if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information.
What is the purpose of the project?
The purpose of the project is to understand the effect that personality and attitudes towards sexual violence have on the decision the general population may make if presented with a sexual assault case in court. We aim to fill the gap left by previous researchers that doesn’t include a measure of personality when assessing attitudes towards sexual violence.
Why have I been invited to take part?
You are being invited to participate in this project because you are over 18, are fluent in English and from the general population. You should not participate if you believe you might feel uncomfortable reading a mock scenario of a sexual assault or if you previously were involved in a sexual assault.
What will happen if I take part?
If you choose to take part in the project you will be asked to answer two questionnaires, one measuring personality and one measuring attitudes towards sexual violence. Both require you to pick a response to a statement from a 5-point Likert scale. The personality questionnaire will have statements such as “I have used flattery to get my way” and you will be required to provide your level of agreement using a scale ranging from 1 = "strongly disagree" to 5 = "strongly agree.” The attitudes to sexual violence questionnaire will have statements such as “many women actually enjoy sex after the guy uses a little force”. You will be required to provide your level of agreement using a scale ranging from 1 = "not at all agree" to 7 = "very much agree.” Then all participants will be presented with a sexual violence assault case and will be asked whether they would find the defendant guilty or not guilty and why. Participation will take place online via an online software called QuestionPro and is estimated to take between 20-25 minutes to complete. As part of participation, you will be asked to provide some demographics such as age, gender, ethnicity and if you or someone you know has ever been sexually assaulted. Sensitive topics are addressed throughout the study but all information is necessary to investigate this research question.
Do I have to take part?
Participation is completely voluntary. You should only take part if you want to and choosing not to take part will not disadvantage you in any way. Once you have read the information sheet, please contact us if you have any questions that will help you decide to take part. If you decide to take part we will ask you to sign a consent form and you will be given a copy of this consent form to keep.
Incentives
The only incentive offered will be for 1st-year undergraduate psychology LJMU students completing this survey via Sona. Students collect points for completing studies that help them complete the first year of their degree.
What are the possible risks of taking part?
This survey contains sensitive information regarding sexual violence that some people may find distressing. You may withdraw from the study at any point up until submitting your responses because after this stage all data will be anonymous and we cannot identify your individual responses. Contact for support services will be provided to participants at the end of the study.
What are the possible benefits of taking part?
There are no benefits to taking part in this study.
Data handling and confidentiality
Your data will be processed under the terms of UK data protection law (including the UK General Data Protection Regulation [UK GDPR] and the Data Protection Act 2018).
· Data will be stored in secure online storage repositories at Liverpool John Moores University.
· No personal data will be collected therefore anonymity remains throughout the whole study to maintain confidentiality.
· Data will be stored up until graduation in February 2025. Data will not be stored or archived for future use.
· Data will only be shared among the research team
· Data will not be shared outside of the UK.
Liverpool John Moores University has a responsibility to keep information collected about you safe and secure and to ensure the integrity of research data. Specialist teams within Liverpool John Moores University continually assess and ensure that data is held in the most appropriate and secure way.
Data Protection Statement
If you would like more information about how your data will be processed under the terms of UK data protection laws please visit the link below:
What if I change my mind about taking part?
You are free to withdraw at any point of the project, without having to give a reason. Withdrawing from the project will not affect you in any way. You can withdraw from the project at any time before submission by after which withdrawal of your data will no longer be possible because the data will have been anonymised or committed to the final report. If you choose to withdraw from the project we will not retain the information you have given thus far as long as its before submission of your response.
What will happen to the results of the project?
The results of the project will be summarised in my own master's dissertation to obtain an MSc in Forensic and investigative Psychology from LJMU. This dissertation isn’t scheduled to be published however if any participants request a copy of the completed research I will be happy to provide this. The anonymised data set will not be made publically available and is only going to be stored until graduation in February 2025.
Who should I contact for further information?
If you have any questions or require more information about this project, don't hesitate to get in touch with me using the following contact details:
What if I have further questions, or if something goes wrong?
If this project has harmed you in any way or if you wish to make a complaint about the conduct of the project you can contact Liverpool John Moores University using the details below for further advice and information:
Student: Erin Cole, psyecole@ljmu.ac.uk
Staff: Rui Paulo, r.m.demedeirospaulo@ljmu.ac.uk
Thank you for reading this information sheet and for considering taking part in this research.
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