Informed Consent Document
Thank you for your interest in participating in this research. Please read the following form carefully before you decide whether or not to proceed with the study.
Purpose of the Study: This study explores how people judge moral transgressions based on their relationship with the person who committed them, for a class called Research Practicum in Media Psychology. This study will help the researchers to fulfill Psychologee degree requirements at Boston College, and will contribute to understanding how parasocial relationships influence moral judgment and forgiveness.
Overview of Procedure: During this study, you’ll read a few short scenarios where different people (a close friend, a favorite celebrity, or a stranger) commit a moral transgression. These transgressions will be either minor (like an insensitive tweet) or major. After reading each scenario, you’ll answer some questions on Qualtrics (online survey) about your thoughts and feelings on the situation. The entire study should take about 15-30 minutes to complete.
Inclusion Criteria: You may participate in this study if you are at least 18 years old, and have somewhat of an active social media presence (to ensure familiarity with celebrity influencers).
Risks: There are no major risks associated with this study. However, some of the scenarios may deal with moral dilemmas that could feel uncomfortable. If at any point you feel distressed or want to stop, you are free to exit the study without any consequences.
Benefits: There are no direct benefits to participating, but your responses will help us as researchers better understand how people make moral judgments. This could contribute to broader psychological research on relationships, social influence, and moral reasoning.
Confidentiality and Limits: Your responses will remain completely confidential. No identifying information will be collected, and only the lead researcher and their academic advisors will have access to the data: the head researcher (ayemere@bc.edu) and the professor of this class (Kelly Kane, kelly.kane@bc.edu). The data will be stored in Qualtrics software, on the personal computer of Riley Ayemere and other lead researchers, and in a file sent to Kelly Kane.
No identifying information such as email addresses or names will be collected at any point in the study.
Confidentiality might be broken in rare cases, such as if we’re legally required to share data with law enforcement or in the unlikely event of a data breach. If a breach happens, we’ll notify you if any identifying information is involved.
Communication: If you have any questions about the study, please reach out to ayemere@bc.edu. If you’d like to withdraw your data after participating, please email [Researcher’s Email] as soon as possible after completing the study. For concerns about your rights as a research participant, please contact the Boston College Institutional Review Board at irb@bc.edu, 617-552-4778, or 270 Hammond Street, Chestnut Hill, MA.
Emergency Procedures: If you experience distress while taking part in this study, please consider reaching out to a mental health professional or university counseling services at University Counseling Services (counselingservices@bc.edu or 617-552-3310). If you’re in crisis, dial 911 for immediate assistance or 988 for mental health support.
Voluntary Participation: Your participation is entirely voluntary. You can stop at any time without any penalties. If you decide to withdraw, simply close the survey window.