Ethics Approval Reference: R59371/RE001
We are inviting you to join in a research study. Before you decide if you would like to join in, it's important to understand what the study is about, why we're doing it and what it would involve for you.
Please read and think about this information carefully.
Why are we doing this research?
We study how learning and decision-making change as we get older. Learning to choose the best option is sometimes not easy, particularly when there are lots of good options to choose between and the value of these options changes over time. How children and adolescents learn in these situations and how that differs from adults is still unknown. We wish to find out more about how decision strategies develop during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.
Why have I been invited to take part?
You have been invited because you aged between 11 and 35 years.
Do I have to take part?
No - It is up to you. If you DO NOT want to take part, simply do not press the “START” button on this website. If you would like to talk about the research with someone beforehand (or if you have any questions afterwards) please speak with Sophie, the researcher supporting this study. You are free to stop taking part at any time during the research without giving a reason, and this can be done by simply exiting the webpage.
What will happen to me if I take part in the research?
Before the game starts, your consent to complete the study will be obtained by asking you to read through some statements, please only click “START” if you agree with them. You will also be asked to provide your age and gender. In the game you will see pictures on a computer screen and make a simple decision about them. For some choices you will win points and for others you won’t. The game will take no more than 10 minutes. Following this, you will complete three short questionnaires, aimed at assessing anxiety, depression, and stress measures.
What happens to the results of the study?
Results for each individual taking part are kept strictly confidential and anonymous. Only a number will be used to identify you, and all information and results are kept in password protected computers and servers in the University. No IP addresses are collected. We will write a summary of what we find and put it on our website in the future.
We also aim to publish our findings in scientific journals, but this may be two to three years from the end of the study. At that time the data may be deposited on a public data depository so that other researchers can use them but again no one will be able to tell that it was you who played the game.
All research data and records will be stored for a minimum retention period of 3 years after publication or public release of the work of the research. Third parties may be given access to research data for monitoring and/or audit of the study, or for data storage purposes.
Data Protection
JATOS is the data controller with respect to your personal data and, as such, will determine how your personal data is used. Please see their privacy notice here: https://www.jatos.org/Data-Privacy-and-Ethics.html. JATOS will share only fully anonymised data with the University of Oxford, for the purposes of research.
What are the advantages / disadvantages of taking part?
There are no disadvantages in taking part in this study. The knowledge we gain from the study will help us understand how adults learn to make decisions and how these skills develop with age, potentially benefiting other children, adolescents, and adults in the future.
What if I don’t want to take part in the research anymore?
Please let the researching staff know. You don’t have to provide a reason.
Who is organising and funding the research?
The research is organised by Dr. MaryAnn Noonan of Oxford University, who is a Supernumerary Teaching Fellow. The study is being paid for by the St John’s College.
Who has reviewed the study?
This study has been approved by the University of Oxford Central University Research Ethics Committee (Project Number: R59371/RE001).
What if there is a problem or something goes wrong?
Please tell us if you are worried about any part of this study, by contacting the principle investigator of the research (maryann.noonan@psy.ox.ac.uk). If you are still unhappy or wish to make a complaint you can contact the chair of the Research Ethics Committee at the University of Oxford (Chair, Medical Sciences Inter-Divisional Research Ethics Committee; Email: ethics@medsci.ox.ac.uk; Address: Research Services, University of Oxford, Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2JD).
Thank you for reading this far – please now read through the following consent questions, and make sure that you fully understand them:
- Has somebody explained this project to you?
- Do you understand what this project is about?
- Have you asked all the questions you want?
- Have you had your questions answered in a way you understand?
- Do you understand it’s OK to stop taking part at any time?
- Are you happy to take part?
If any answers are “no” or you don’t want to take part, that’s OK! Simply close the webpage or click the ‘exit study’ button to stop the study at any time during the study.
If you can answer “yes” to all of the above questions, then please press the 'START' button below.
Thank you for taking part in the study!
1 hour In Person Study
Please note the following BEFORE emailing us to sign up:
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Ethics Approval Reference: R62413/RE001
We are inviting you to join in a research study. Before you decide if you would like to join in, it's important to understand what the study is about, why we're doing it and what it would involve for you.
Please read and think about this information carefully.
Why is this research being conducted?
We study how learning and decision-making change as we get older. Learning to choose the best option is sometimes not easy, particularly when there are many good options to choose between and the value of these options changes over time. Adults tend to use learning and decision strategies that make causal predictions between choices and outcomes and focus the choice onto the most valuable option without being distracted by alternatives. However, in some contexts using these decision strategies becomes more, or less, useful. This study is seeking to understand which contexts change these learning and decision strategies and why.
Why have I been invited to take part?
You have been invited because you are an adult, aged between 18 and 35 years. We are inviting 100 young adults to take part. We are unable to include adults with diagnosed mental health conditions, including anxiety disorder, depression, or PTSD
Do I have to take part?
No. You can ask questions about the research before deciding whether or not to take part. You are provided with clear instructions of the decision making game and a chance to practice it. If you do agree to take part, you may withdraw yourself from the study at any time, without giving a reason, by advising us of this decision. All data collected until the point of withdrawal will be deleted immediately after withdrawing from the study.
What will happen to me if I take part in the research?
If you are happy to take part in the research, you will be asked to play simple decision games on a computer. When you arrive, we will talk you to read through the study procedures and give you the chance to ask any questions. First, you will be asked to read through some statements and sign a consent form if you agree with them. You will also be asked to provide your age and gender. In the games you will see pictures on a computer screen and make a simple decision about them. For some choices you will win points and for others you won’t (or you might lose points). There will be clear instructions and a chance to practice the games before you start. The session should take approximately 1 hour. You can also ask to pause or stop the session at any time.
Are there any potential risks in taking part?
The following risk are involved in taking part: breach of confidentiality. However, as we are not collecting sensitive information we foresee no route through which a data breach would be harmful for our participants. To reduce any potential risks all data will be stored anonymously with participants identified by code number only.
Are there any benefits in taking part?
There will be no direct or personal benefit to you from taking part in this research.
Expenses and payments
You will receive £7.50/hr for participation.
What happens to the data provided?
The information you provide during the study is the research data. Any research data from which you can be identified (e.g. age, gender) is known as personal data.
Personal data will be stored securely on password protected encrypted computers or in locked cabinets. All research data and records will be stored for a minimum retention period of 3 years after publication or public release of the work of the research.
Other research data (including consent forms) will be stored for at least 3 years after publication or public release of the work of the research.
The research team and collaborators will have access to the research data. Responsible members of the University of Oxford may be given access to data for monitoring and/or audit of the research.
We would like your permission to use anonymised data in future studies, and to share data with other researchers (e.g. in online databases). All personal information that could identify you will be removed or changed before information is shared with other researchers or results are made public.
Will the research be published?
The research may be published in scientific journals, but this may be two to three years from the end of the study. At that time the data may be deposited on a public data depository so that other researchers can use them.
Who is funding the research?
The research is organised by Dr. MaryAnn Noonan of the University of Oxford, who is a Supernumerary Teaching Fellow. The study is being paid for by the Academy of Medical Sciences and Wellcome Trust.
Who has reviewed this study?
This study has been reviewed by, and received ethics clearance through, the University of Oxford Central University Research Ethics Committee (Reference number: R62413/RE001).
Who do I contact if I have a concern about the study or I wish to complain?
If you have a concern about any aspect of this research, please contact Dr. MaryAnn Noonan [+44 (0) 1865 277490; maryann.noonan@psy.ox.ac.uk], and we will do our best to answer your query. We will acknowledge your concern within 10 working days and give you an indication of how it will be dealt with. If you remain unhappy or wish to make a formal complaint, please contact the Chair of the Medical Sciences Interdivisional Research Ethics Committee (MS IDREC) at the University of Oxford who will seek to resolve the matter as soon as possible - Email: ethics@medsci.ox.ac.uk; Address: Research Services, University of Oxford, Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2JD.
Data Protection
The University of Oxford is the data controller with respect to your personal data, and as such will determine how your personal data is used in the study.
The University will process your personal data for the purpose of the research outlined above. Research is a task that is performed in the public interest.
Further information about your rights with respect to your personal data is available from http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/councilsec/compliance/gdpr/individualrights/.
Further Information and Contact Details
If you would like to discuss the research with someone beforehand (or if you have questions afterwards), please contact:
Dr. MaryAnn Noonan
Department of Experimental Psychology
Anna Watts Building, Woodstock Rd
Email: maryann.noonan@psy.ox.ac.uk
Tel: 01865 277490
Thank you for reading this – please ask any questions if you need to.