STUDY INFORMATION
Investigating the Perceptual, Affective, and Personality Profile of People Who Experience the Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) and Misophonia
Invitation to take part
You are being invited to take part in a research study exploring auditory sensitivities (specifically Misophonia and the Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR)), perceptual and emotional tendencies, and personality traits. Misophonia and ASMR are two unusual sensory experiences, in which certain auditory stimuli cause extreme (positive or negative) emotional reactions. In misophonia, hearing everyday sounds that are human-made or repetitive (e.g., chewing, tapping) results in negative feelings and reactions such as disgust or anger and in ASMR human-made sounds (e.g., whispering) induce soothing feelings that are often described as ‘tingly sensations around the crown of the head’. This study is being conducted by student researcher Dodi Swan-Capper (dns23@sussex.ac.uk), post-doctoral research fellow Dr Nora Andermane (n.andermane@sussex.ac.uk), student researcher Mathilde Bauer (mbb39@sussex.ac.uk) and lead by project supervisor Jamie Ward (jamiew@sussex.ac.uk), Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, from the School of Psychology, University of Sussex, all of which are happy to be contacted should you have any questions.
Why have I been invited to take part and what will I do?
This is an online study that consists of two parts and each part will take around 30 minutes to complete. You are welcome to complete the study in full (both parts), or only take part in the first part lasting 30 minutes. In the first part you will be taking part in an auditory sensitivity task in which you will listen to short sound clips (40 in total) from various sound categories (e.g., human-made and non-human sounds) and rate your reactions to these sounds on 17 descriptors (e.g., soothing, discomfort, rage), as well as questionnaires assessing sound sensitivities such as misophonia and ASMR. In the second part you will complete some additional questionnaires on general sensory sensitivity, emotional reactivity, and measures of personality traits. This study will help us to understand similarities and differences between individuals from the general population, those who experience misophonia, and those who experience ASMR in terms of their reactions to sounds, their general sensory sensitivities, emotional responses, and personality traits. If you would like to complete the full study, you will be asked to indicate this along with providing your contact details and demographic information.
What will happen to the results and my personal information?
The results of this study will be published in one or multiple research papers exploring the conditions of misophonia and ASMR. Result summaries are expected to be available upon request from the 1st of September 2022 onwards. Your anonymity is ensured following the guidelines noted here below. We will ask you for demographic information (e.g., name, surname, e-mail, age, and gender); however, this data will be stored securely in password-protected files only known to the research team. Upon completion of the research project the data will be anonymized and it will not be possible to identify any personal information from the data summaries presented in the final research report. You are free to withdraw your participation from the study at any point during the completion of the study and until the write-up of the final research findings (expected by 1st of September 2022), without giving a reason. Please read all the information provided above carefully. If you wish to take part, please make sure you have understood this sheet and sign to indicate your consent to take part in the study as described. For any further information, please contact Dodi Swan-Capper (dns23@sussex.ac.uk), Nora Andermane (n.andermane@sussex.ac.uk), Mathilde Bauer (mbb39@sussex.ac.uk) or the research project supervisor Jamie Ward (jamiew@sussex.ac.uk). This study has been approved by the Sciences & Technology Cross-Schools Research Ethics Committee (crecscitec@sussex.ac.uk). The project reference number is ER/MBB39/1. If you have any ethical concerns, please contact the ethics chair (crecscitec@sussex.ac.uk). If you find any ethical concerns, please contact the project supervisor (Jamie Ward). The University of Sussex has insurance in place to cover its legal liabilities in respect of this study. Thank you for taking the time to read this study information sheet.
Thank you
CONSENT FORM FOR PROJECT PARTICIPANTS
Title of Project: Investigating the Perceptual, Affective, and Personality Profile of People Who Experience the Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) and Misophonia
Name of Researcher and School: Dodi Swan-Capper, Nora Andermane, Mathilde Bauer, Jamie Ward. School of Psychology, University of Sussex.
- I understand that my participation is entirely voluntary, that I can choose not to participate in part or all of the study, and that I can withdraw at any stage without having to give a reason and without being penalised in any way (e.g., if I am a student, my decision whether or not to take part will not affect my grades).
- I understand that I can withdraw my data once I have completed and submitted the test at any point up until the research study is analysed and written up (expected by 1st of September 2022).
- I understand that my personal data will be used for the purposes of this research study and will be handled in accordance with Data Protection legislation. I understand that the University’s Privacy Notice provides further information on how the University uses personal data in its research.
- I understand that my data, including my personal information (i.e. any information that could identify me) will be stored safely. Electronic data will be stored securely on a University managed system, and hard-copies will be stored behind a locked door.
- I understand that my identity will remain confidential in any written reports of this research, and that no information I disclose will lead to the identification in those reports of any individual either by the researchers or by any other party, without first obtaining my written permission.
- I understand that my name and data will not be shared with any third party outside the research group, unless I later provide written permission.
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