Online study

[Yana Schwarze]

Hello!

My research team, based in London, is currently looking for participants with Alexithymia for our online study. It will take approximately 35 minutes and is compensated with a £6 Amazon voucher. Your participation would be a really big help for us as we find research in this area very important.
To take part just follow this link: https://www.testable.org/t/1107721383
Please feel free to contact me with any questions and I really hope that you consider taking part!

Thank you,

Yana

[Discworld DEATH]

Although your research study may be completely legitimate, there are a LOT of scams out there where you are asked to click on a link that then phishes for your personal info, or worse downloads a virus onto your computer to do nefarious things with your life.  Anytime someone doesn't reveal the organization/university/research group's name, address, full information, etc.  That is a HUGE red flag.  Technically, this posting should also include the Human Subjects Review board that has approved this research study as well as contact info of the person who is receiving questions or complaints about any unethical practices, etc.  You did not even list the title of the study, the research question being examined, the topics of the survey, or even if it is actually a survey.

I am a social science researcher myself and I am always super eager to participate in any study that relates to my own personal conditions, but this announcement screams SCAM at me.  I can't even find anything legitimate enough to check up on it without clicking on the link and exposing myself to whatever then happens.

Could a moderator please check into this user for the group?

DiscDEATH

[Triton]

Yes I agree it would provide a minimum of decorum to describe the nature of the study and the organization/university/research group's name and full information. I was suspicious the moment i saw this omission - very unprofessional.

I'm not worried about viruses, but more about the nature of the study and who is conducting it. Secrecy send a signal that there's something to hide.

I will give 24 hours for that to happen or ill terminate the account of the poster.

Triton

[Triton]

Please provide more information about the purpose of your study (in detail) and whois conducting it, and for which organization.

Failure to do so will see your post deleted.

Thanks for your understanding.

Triton (Manager)

[Yana Schwarze]

Hello,

Thanks for your interest in finding out more about our study. The information sheet is shown on the first page of the study link, but I have attached it here for you information - apologies for not including this in my original post. My research team is based in the Psychology department of Royal Holloway, University of London, and led by Dr Rebecca Brewer. The current study has been approved by the Royal Holloway research ethics board, and if you click on the study link, you will be asked to read the information sheet and consent to take part before the study begins. This project is investigating the relationship between alexithymia and the ability to process emotional information from faces, and faces more generally. If you choose to take part, you will view images of faces, and be asked to click on a grid to rate the emotion, or the symmetry and brightness of the face image. Even if you consent to take part, you will be able to withdraw from the study at any point without giving a reason.

If you would like any further information about the study before deciding to take part, or after participating, please feel free to contact me (yana-s...@hotmail.de), or Dr Brewer (rebecca...@rhul.ac.uk). If you choose to leave your email address, we will be able to send you the overall results of the study once we have completed data collection and analysis.

Many thanks, and best wishes,

Yana

[Triton]

Thanks for supplying the extra info to allow potential participants to contextualize your request, Yana. On face value your study meets the integrity standards required for participants to feel comfortable in taking part.

I encourage people to consider doing so.

Regards

Triton

[Yana Schwarze]

Attached you can find the information sheet for the study.