You are being asked to participate in a research study. This form provides you with information about the study. Please read the information below and ask questions about anything you don’t understand before deciding whether or not to take part. Your participation is entirely voluntary and you can refuse to participate without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.

If you do not wish to participate in this study, please do not complete any of the material and do not submit or return it.

Title of Research Study:
Distinguishing Differences between Short-Term Mating & Short-Term Relationships
Nickname: Pending

Principal Investigator(s):
Judith A. Easton & Professor David M. Buss
512-471-0111
Email: jeaston1@mail.utexas.edu

Funding source:
None

What is the purpose of this study?
The purpose of this study is to examine the differences people report between items associated with short-term mating and items associated with short-term relationships.

This study is open to anyone who is at least 18 years old. Approximately 100 people will participate in this study this term. This study will become part of a larger study in which about 500 people will participate.

What will be done if you take part in this research study?
You will be asked to complete a survey which asks you to quantify how much listed items are representative of your idea of either short-term mating or short-term relationships. The survey will take about one hour to complete. After you consent to this experiment, you will begin the survey on the following webpage.

What are the possible discomforts and risks?
The procedure of this study is not dangerous and will not result in physical harm. However some parts of the survey may ask you questions that are personal in nature regarding romantic situations that you may have previously experienced. We simply ask that you answer as honestly and completely as possible knowing that your survey responses are held completely separately from your identifying information (which is only collected for credit purposes). It is completely confidential. If you decide that you do not wish to answer a particular question or questions, simply choose the “N/A” option. If you wish to discuss the information above or any other risks you may experience, you may ask questions now or call a Principal Investigator listed at the beginning of this form.

What are the possible benefits to you or to others?
This study aims to collect and analyze data about the differences between short-term and long-term relationships. It further seeks to collect and analyze data about the similarities and differences between short-term mating and short-term relationships. The information we collect from you will help us to analyze these similarities and differences, help us understand what constitutes each category, and provide insight into the different behaviors, thoughts, and feelings attributed to both short-term mating and short-term relationships.

If you choose to take part in this study, will it cost you anything?
No

Will you receive compensation for your participation in this study?
No monetary compensation will be given for participation in this study. PSY 301 students who participate will be awarded 1.0 hour of experiment credit.

What if you are injured because of the study?
There is no risk of physical injury from participation in this study.

If you do want to take part in this study, what other options are available to you?
There are several other studies being conducted by faculty members in the department of psychology. You may participate in many of them. All PSY 301 students also have the option of writing a research paper for experiment participation credit in lieu of participating in experiments. Students interested in writing the research paper should discuss this with their PSY 301 instructor or their PSY 301 teaching assistant.

If you do not wish to participate in this study, please do not complete, submit, or return any of the study materials.

Participation in this study is entirely voluntary. You are free to refuse to be in the study, and your refusal will not influence current or future relationships with The University of Texas at Austin.

How can you withdraw from this research study and who should you call if you have questions?
If you wish to stop your participation in this research study for any reason, you should contact the principal investigator: Judith Easton at (512) 471-0111. You should also call the principal investigator for any questions, concerns, or complaints about the research. You are free to withdraw your consent and stop participation in this research study at any time without penalty or loss of benefits for which you may be entitled. Throughout the study, the researchers will notify you of new information that may become available and that might affect your decision to remain in the study.

In addition, if you have questions about your rights as a research participant, or if you have complaints, concerns, or questions about the research, please contact Jody Jensen, Ph.D., Chair, The University of Texas at Austin Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects at (512) 232-2685 or the Office of Research Support and Compliance at (512) 471-8871.

How will your privacy and the confidentiality of your research records be protected?
Your responses in this experiment will be confidential. None of the written responses you give during this study will be linked to any information that could be used to identify you (such as your name, EID, etc.). We request that participants not use any personally identifiable information in their responses to survey questions. Access to the study data on the server is restricted to the Principal Investigators only. Only the experimenters will have access to your responses. In addition, the data collection and course credit steps are separate. This way, any identifiable information linked to your request for course credit is completely separated from your responses in the survey.

Authorized persons from The University of Texas at Austin and the Institutional Review Board have the legal right to review your research records and will protect the confidentiality of those records to the extent permitted by law. Otherwise, your research records will not be released without your consent unless required by law or a court order.

If the results of this research are published or presented at scientific meetings, your identity will not be disclosed.

Will the researchers benefit from your participation in this study?
The researchers will not benefit financially from your participation.

By clicking the Submit button below, you attest that you have been informed about this study’s purpose, procedures, possible benefits and risks. You have been given the opportunity to ask questions before you sign, and you have been told that you can ask other questions at any time. You voluntarily agree to participate in this study. By signing this form, you are not waiving any of your legal rights.