A Study Conducted by the University of Pennsylvania Positive Psychology Center
Margaret L. Kern, PhDMichelle Gielan, MAPPLibby Benson, BAMartin E. P. Seligman, PhD
Thank you for your interest in this study! Watching news broadcasts are a common occurrence in the daily lives of many Americans. Often, stories are presented in a highly negative tone, but at times positive stories are presented. We are interested in understanding what emotions are elicited by different types of news clips.
You do not need to have any special characteristics or skills, though you must be at least 18 years old and be able to speak and understand English. Participation in this study is completely voluntary. Please read the information below before proceeding.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the emotional content of various news clips. Your ratings on emotional content, along with the other participants in this study, will be used in a larger study investigating the emotional content of media and cognitive performance.
Procedure: You will watch a series of 10 different news clips, lasting between 30 seconds and 3 minutes. After each one, you will be asked to rate each clip for the emotional content of the clip. There are no right or wrong answers to the questions – we simply want your honest opinion. The process will take between 15 and 30 minutes to complete. There will be 100 participants included in the overall study.
Risks and Benefits: The study involves minimal risk. The clips are real news stories coming from major networks and cable news stations (ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX). The stories may elicit negative emotions, as typically can happen every time you watch the news. If you feel uncomfortable with a clip, you can skip to the next one or end the study by clicking on the “end study now” on your screen. At the end of the study or after clicking “end now”, you will have the option to withdraw your data. Please note that if you simply close your browser, your responses up to that point will be saved and may be used for research. There are no direct benefits to you for participating in this study.
Privacy and Confidentiality: Your responses are completely confidential, and all responses are anonymous.
Questions: If you have any comments or questions regarding the conduct of this research or your rights as a research participant, please contact the Institutional Review Board of the University of Pennsylvania at (215) 898-2614.