Exploring Decision-Making as a Juror
Participant Information Sheet
Researcher: Mr Brendan Newman
Email: B.newman.22@unimail.winchester.ac.uk
Supervisor: Dr. Deborah Crossland
Supervisor Email: deborah.crossland@winchester.ac.uk
My name is Brendan Newman, and I am an undergraduate student in the Psychology Department at the University of Winchester. You are being invited to take part in a research study. Before you decide it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. Ask us if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information. Take time to decide whether you wish to take part. The study has been approved by the Psychology Department Ethics Committee and follows the ethical guidelines of the British Psychological Society.
What is the purpose of the study?
The purpose of this study is to investigate how jurors evaluate witness testimony. Specifically, we are interested in understanding how different factors, such as memory recall, witness behaviour, and testimony details, might influence jurors' perceptions of a witness’s credibility and reliability.
Who is eligible to take part in this study?
You have been invited to take part in this study because you have responded to an advertisement for the study on social media, and have met the initial criteria to be a juror within the UK.
What will happen to me if I take part and what do I have to do?
After reading this sheet, you will first answer a few questions to confirm eligibility for the study. You will then review a consent form and tick the boxes to confirm your consent to take part in the survey, then proceed to the survey. Some demographic information will be collected first before you move on to a case study, which we ask you to read carefully and answer the following questions honestly. The case study you read will involve details of a crime, no major descriptions of violence are given, but the act itself is detailed in the case study. Your responses are anonymous. Once complete, you will receive a debriefing form explaining the study. The entire process should take approximately 30 minutes to complete.
Do I have to take part?
It is up to you to decide whether or not to take part in this study. If you change your mind at any point during the study, you can stop taking part and any data you have contributed up to that point will be destroyed. If, after taking part, you decide that you do not want your data to be used in the study, you can contact the researcher using the email address at the end of this form and the top of it, this must be done within 2 weeks of taking part. When you have provided your unique reference number you are instructed to make at the beginning of the survey and request your data be removed, it will be destroyed. You do not need to give a reason for withdrawing your data from the study.
What are the possible risks of taking part?
There are no known risks of taking part in this study and the questions are designed not to be upsetting. Should you find yourself upset or worried by any of the questions or the issues they raise please contact one of the organisations below who will be able to help you or point you in the right direction. Remember – if you are concerned about your health in anyway, you should try and see your GP as soon as possible. Or charities such as:
Samaritans:
Website: www.samaritans.org
116 123
0808 164 0123 for welsh speaking line
Email: jo@samaritans.org
Mind:
Website: www.mind.org.uk
0300 123 3393
Email: info@mind.org.uk
How will my data and my privacy be handled within this study?
Will what I say in this study be kept confidential? Yes, everything within this study will be kept entirely confidential. No personal information will be at risk and there will be no potential harm to your personal data. Information shall be stored securely on the survey website, with only the researchers named in this sheet having access to the data. It will be stored securely behind a password online and stored for a period of up to about 10 years.
What if something goes wrong?
Any and all complaints will be taken very seriously,. If the complaint is about how research has been conducted then email the supervisor and/or chair of the Psychology Ethics Committee, both emails found at the bottom of the sheet. The current RKE Chair of University Ethics is Dr Samantha Scallan and the appropriate email address for complaints is ethics@winchester.ac.uk. Any other complaints can be made to the researcher.
Who can I contact for further information?
Researcher: Mr Brendan Newman
Email: B.newman.22@unimail.winchester.ac.uk
Supervisor: Dr Deborah Crossland
Supervisor Email: deborah.crossland@winchester.ac.uk
Chair of the Psychology Ethics Committee: Dr Debra Gray
Email: Psychologyethics@winchester.ac.uk
P.S: This survey contains Karma to get free survey responses at SurveySwap.io