Social Interactions, Media Use, and Sociodemographic Factors: A Multidimensional Analysis

Informed Consent

1. Research Project Description

My name is Kristen G. Hurrell, M.A. I am a predoctoral candidate in the Department of Psychology at the University of Detroit Mercy.

I have asked you to agree to be a volunteer in some research I plan to conduct. Before I accept your consent, I want to make known to you the following information pertaining to the project.

Explanation of the Purpose.  The purpose of this study is to investigate beliefs surrounding sexual violence, the use of pornography, as well as various socio-demographic factors.   This research aims to gain a greater understanding on what influences a person’s opinions on sexual violence.

Explanation of the Procedures.  If you decide to participate, you will be directed to complete a short online survey. The survey should take under thirty minutes to complete.

Expected Risks.  You will be asked about potentially sensitive matters, including your use and opinions on sexual violence, use and attitudes regarding pornography use, and aspects of your religious affiliation. If certain questions in the survey make you uncomfortable or are triggering, you have the right to skip the questions that make you uncomfortable or withdraw consent and discontinue the study completely. There is no penalty to you for not completing the survey.

Expected Benefits.  There are no particular benefits in your participation in the study other than participating in an important research project that reasonably might be expected to accrue to you or others.

Confidentiality. Every effort will be made to ensure confidentiality. Personal identifying information will not be obtained in this study. Once you have completed the survey, you will have the opportunity to be enrolled in a drawing for a one hundred dollar Visa gift card. If you would like to be entered into the drawing, you will be redirected to a separate page upon completion of the questionnaire and asked to provide an email address. Only the student investigator will have access to this email address. This information will only be used to contact you if you are the winner of the drawing and will in no way be linked to responses given in the questionnaire. Your identity will be held in confidence in reports in which the study may be published and databases in which results may be stored. Data will be stored in a password protected file, on a password protected computer, in a locked office. If you contact us (for example with questions about this study or with concerns about your participation) we wish to remind you that we cannot guarantee the confidentiality of email communications.  

Offer to Answer Questions.  Kristen G. Hurrell, M.A. through the Department of Psychology at the University of Detroit Mercy, is conducting the study. If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please feel free to contact the investigator, Kristen G. Hurrell, M.A. at ghersikm@udmercy.edu.

Freedom to Withdraw Consent.  Taking part in this study is voluntary. You may choose not to take part or may leave the study at any time. Leaving the study will not result in any penalty or loss of benefits to which you are entitled. Your decision whether or not to participate in this study will not affect your current or future relations with the investigator(s).

Compensation.  Upon completing the survey, you will have the opportunity to enter a lottery to win a one hundred dollar Visa gift card. After completing the survey, you will automatically be redirected to a separate questionnaire to fill out contact information to be entered for the drawing. Participation in the drawing is optional and any contact information gathered will be not be linked to any responses given in the study questionnaire.

We hope to recruit no more than 120 individuals. The estimated odds of winning are 1 out of 120. The drawing will take place at the end of the study. The winning participant will be contacted by the investigator via email. The gift card will be mailed to the winning participants after they have confirmed their mailing addresses to ensure the delivery of the gift card. Please note that the gift card will only be mailed within the Continental U.S.

Significant New Findings.  If any significant new results are developed during the course of this research which may relate to the volunteer’s willingness to continue participation, such new findings will be provided to the volunteer.
Occasionally, the same or another researcher will request the permission to review to use previously gathered data from a completed research project for a different project. If confidentiality of the data is protected and if the UDM Institutional Review Board has approved the study, would you be willing to give your permission to the release of your data collected from your participation in the current study without prior notification? *This question is required.

2. By hitting "AGREE" below, you are indicating that you are at least 18 years of age and you are indicating your informed consent to be a part of this survey. Your participation is completely voluntary. Some of the items on this survey may make you feel uncomfortable. You are free to withdraw your participation at any time should you become uncomfortable with the questions. If you wish to quit, simply exit the Internet browser. *This question is required.

If for any reason you experience significant discomfort after completing this survey, we recommend that you contact the principal investigator or one of the following rape crisis centers:

Wayne County

Wayne County SAFE (Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Program)
2727 Second Avenue Suite 120
Detroit, MI 48201
Phone: 313-964-9701
24 hour Crisis Pager: 313-430-8000

Macomb County

Turning Point, Inc.
PO Box 1123
Mount Clemens, MI 48046
Phone: 586-463-4430 ext. 222
24 hour crisis line: 586-463-6990
Website: www.turningpointmacomb.org

Oakland County

H.A.V.E.N.
PO Box 431045
30400 Telegraph Road, Suite 101
Bingham Farms, MI 48025
Phone: 248-334-1284
Website: www.haven-oakland.org