Participant Information
Social groups and environmental behaviour.
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Department of Psychology, Health and Professional Development Oxford Brookes University, Headington, OXFORD OX3 0BP.
Researcher: Aoife O'Neill-Guyatt, Undergraduate, Email: 19007755@brookes.ac.uk
Supervisor: Ben Kenward, Email: p0078109@brookes.ac.uk, Tel: 01865 482826
Please take time to read the following information carefully.
What is the purpose of the study?
The purpose of this study is to investigate the environmental behaviour intentions of people in different social groups such as those defined by religious or political affiliation. The aim of the study is to understand environmental behaviour which could inform efforts to tackle climate change.
Who has been invited to participate?
Anybody over 18 years old who can read fluent English and has internet connection is invited to participate. The study is aiming to attract 150 participants but will obtain as many participants as possible within the given time frame.
Do I have to take part?
No. It is up to you to decide whether or not to take part. If you do decide to take part, you are still free to withdraw unprocessed data at any time before reaching the end of the survey by closing the browser before pressing the 'submit'. At the end of the study a Withdraw Consent button will be displayed on screen after you submit.
What will happen to me if I take part?
The study consists of a questionnaire that takes about 10 minutes to complete. Within the study you will be asked some personal information (for example your religious and political affiliations). Additionally, questions about your environmental behaviour will be asked including: How often do you think you’ll make an effort to recycle glass, plastic, cans and so on in the next year? It finishes with a debrief sheet to provide a more in-depth description of the study’s aim.
What are the possible benefits or disadvantages of taking part?
There are no individual benefits to you, although you may enjoy participating in the experiment. If you choose to take part in the experiment you may be aiding the development of understanding of environmental behaviours. The main benefit will be to the researcher who is completing this research as part of their studies in Psychology at Oxford Brookes University.
Will what I say in this study be kept confidential?
Yes. You will not be asked to give any information that could be used to identify you personally (e.g., your name, date of birth, IP address). Confidentiality, privacy and anonymity will be ensured in the collection, storage and publication of research material (subject to legal limitations). Research data will be stored in Qualtrics and Google Drive, for which the University has security agreements, or uploaded to a repository so that it can be shared for teaching and research purposes.
What should I do if I want to take part?
If you wish to participate in the research study, tick the consent box. Then click on the continue to questionnaire button to be redirected to the start of the experiment.
What will happen to the results of the research study?
The results of this study will be written up for a dissertation, and may be published in an academic journal, or presented at a conference. They may also be used for future research on the topic.
Who has reviewed this study?
This research is being conducted by a Psychology student at Oxford Brookes University as part of the requirement for their course. The study procedures have been reviewed and approved by the Psychology Research Ethics Committee, Oxford Brookes University. If you have any concerns about how the study has been conducted, please contact the Psychology Research Ethics Officer, Dr Emma Davies, on edavies@brookes.ac.uk
Contact for Further Information
If you would like any further information then you can contact me, or my supervisor. Our details are on the top of this sheet. If you wish to obtain a summary of the findings when they have been written up please e-mail Aoife O'Neill-Guyatt at 19007755@brookes.ac.uk.
Thank you for taking time to read the information sheet.
Date 29.11.2021
