Research Study Consent Form
California State University, Fullerton
Department of Psychology

TITLE: The Love Project

RESEARCHERS: Dr. Jessica Tessler, Dr. Kristin Beals,
Sharon Haeun Kim, Jaqueline Rohde, Sana Alfatal, Erika M. Arias

You are being asked to take part in a research study carried out by Dr. Jessica Tessler, Dr. Kristin Beals and their research team in the Department of Psychology, California State University, Fullerton (CSUF). This consent form explains the research study and your part in it if you decide to join the study. Please read the form carefully, taking as much time as you need. Ask the researcher to explain anything you don’t understand. You can decide not to join the study. If you join the study, you can change your mind later and leave the study at any time. There will be no penalty or loss of services or benefits if you decide to not take part in the study.

What is this study about?

This research study is being conducted to examine perceptions of actions that indicate felt love in most people.

You are being asked to take part because you are currently living in the United States and are of age 18 or older.

Taking part in the study will take about 20 - 45 minutes. You cannot take part in this study if you are under 18 years of age.

What will I be asked to do if I am in this study?

If you take part in the study, you will be asked to respond to an online questionnaire which should take approximately 15 - 35 minutes.

You will be presented with a series of items that depict various everyday scenarios and will be asked to answer whether you believe most people feel loved when considering a given everyday scenario. You will be asked to respond to questions about feeling love, relationships, personality, and demographics questions. You may refuse to answer any items on the questionnaire.

Then, you will be asked to play a brief multiplayer game (involving yourself with two other individuals completing the survey at the same time as yourself) which takes approximately 5 minutes.

Finally, you will be asked to complete a brief questionnaire about your game experiences and exit survey which takes approximately 5 minutes.

You may refuse to answer any item on the questionnaire. All information will be kept confidential and anonymous, your name will not be required.

Are there any benefits to me if I am in this study?

You may not benefit personally from being in this study. However, we hope that, in the future, other people might benefit from this study because results will provide a better understanding of perceptions of felt love within the general, LGBTQI, and CNM communities. We hope this study contributes to destigmatizing and building on the existent literature by identifying shared beliefs of felt love among diverse groups of varying sexual orientations, relationship styles, and cultural identities.

Are there any risks to me if I am in this study?

A potential risk is the participant may feel uncomfortable answering questions about repressed feelings regarding their sexuality or relationship(s) with their partner(s). Participants may also experience frustration that is often experienced when completing surveys. Some of the questions you will be asked may be of a sensitive nature, and you may therefore become upset as a result. However, such risks are not viewed as being in excess of “minimal risk.” There will be a disclaimer at the beginning of the survey letting participants know that they are not required to answer questions that make them feel uncomfortable.

Will my information be kept anonymous or confidential?

The records of this study will be kept private to the extent permitted by law. In any report about this study that might be published, you will not be identified. Study results will be presented in a summarized manner so that you cannot be identified. Your study record may be reviewed by government agencies, and the CSUF Institutional Review Board. The only other people who will have access to the data are the research investigators (Dr. Jessica Tessler, Dr. Kristin Beals, and students) conducting the study.

No identifying information about participants will be reported or kept. Confidentiality will be maintained by storing your responses in a password-protected file. Your name is not being collected. Data will be stored on a password protected computer. Data will be stored for a minimum of two years; individuals may keep the data indefinitely. The data may be used for future presentations, publications, and educational purposes. All responses will be kept anonymous and confidential.

Are there any costs or payments for being in this study?

Upon completing the survey, you will have the option to include your email as a point of contact at the end of the survey to be entered into an opportunity drawing for a $50 VISA gift card at the end of research. Your email and name provided for the opportunity drawing will not be tied to your data and maintained anonymous and confidential.

If you are a student at CSUF, you will have the option to include your email for the opportunity drawing and/or to receive class credit if determined with their respective professors.

If you are a student at CSUF and completing this study for course credit through SONA, you may receive course credit for your time toward the psychology course of your choice in which you are currently enrolled. Upon completion of the survey, you will be awarded 1-course credit. Should you withdraw early from the study, you will receive credit for the time you spent (e.g. 0.25 credits for 15 minutes).

You will not have any costs for being in this research study.

Who can I talk to if I have questions?

If you have questions about this study or the information in this form, please contact the research team (csufloveproject@gmail.com). If you have questions about your rights as a research participant, or would like to report a concern or complaint about this study, please contact the Institutional Review Board at (657) 278-7719, or e-mail irb@fullerton.edu.

What are my rights as a research study volunteer?

Your participation is voluntary. You may choose not to participate or you may discontinue your participation at any time without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. Your decision whether or not to participate will not affect your current or future relations with CSUF.

Statement of Consent

By clicking "I wish to continue," I am verifying that:

I am at least 18 years of age, I have carefully read the terms used in this consent form, my questions have been answered, and I agree to take part in this study.

You may print this page for your records.