Study Title: Personality and perceptions of criminal cases
Researcher(s): Megan Wiltshire
University email: Mkjw1g18@soton.ac.uk
Ethics/ERGO no: 62249
Version and date: version 1. 1/12/2020
What is the research about?
My name is Megan Wiltshire and I am a Criminology and Psychology student at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom. I am inviting you to participate in a study which seeks to understand how personality may affect how people perceive different criminal cases.
This study was approved by the Faculty Research Ethics Committee (FREC) at the University of Southampton (Ethics/ERGO Number:62249).
What will happen to me if I take part?
This study involves completing an anonymous questionnaire which should take approximately 10 minutes of your time. Participants can start completing the survey, with their answers saved and return at a later date if they would rather not complete the survey in one sitting. If you are happy to complete this survey, you will be asked to tick (check) the box below to show your consent. As this survey is anonymous, the researcher will not be able to know whether you have participated, or attribute answers to you.
Why have I been asked to participate?
You have been asked to take part because I would like to explore how personality may affect how people perceive different criminal cases. I would like to assess whether age and/or gender might influence responses and so will ask about these demographic factors.
I am aiming to recruit around 100 participants for this study.
What information will be collected?
The questions in this survey ask for information regarding Age, Gender and personality. In addition to this, you will be asked to read 4 hypothetical case briefs of sexual crimes and asked to answer some questions based on the cases provided.
What are the possible benefits of taking part?
If you decide to take part in this study, you will receive research credits on completion of the survey. If you do not attend The University of Southampton then you will not receive any direct benefits; however, your participation will contribute to knowledge in this area of research.
Are there any risks involved?
There is a possibility that taking part in this study could cause you some psychological discomfort and/or distress. If this happens, you can phone 0808 802 1414 for domestic or sexual abuse support or use the following link to locate appropriate resources to help: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/abuse/sexual-abuse/
What will happen to the information collected?
All information collected for this study will be anonymous (you will not be identifiable) and stored securely on a password-protected computer and backed up on a secure server. In addition, all data will be pooled and only compiled into data summaries or summary reports. Only the researcher and their supervisor will have access to this information.
The information collected will be analysed and written up as part of the researcher’s dissertation
The University of Southampton conducts research to the highest standards of ethics and research integrity. In accordance with our Data Management Policy, data will be securely destroyed after the conferment of the researcher’s degree in June 2020.
What happens if there is a problem?
If you are unhappy about any aspect of this study and would like to make a formal complaint, you can contact the Head of Research Integrity and Governance, University of Southampton, on the following contact details: Email: rgoinfo@soton.ac.uk, phone: + 44 2380 595058.
Please quote the Ethics/ERGO number above. Please note that by making a complaint you might be no longer anonymous.
More information on your rights as a study participant is available via this link:
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/about/governance/participant-information.page
Thank you for reading this information sheet and considering taking part in this research.
Please tick (check) this box to indicate that you have read and understood the information on this form,
are aged 18 or over and agree to take part in this survey.
