Consent form for participation in this online experiment

Information

Thank you for your interest in our study. Please read the following information carefully. Your participation in this research is voluntary. It is your choice whether to participate or not. Please do not hesitate to write to us at yirong[dot]xiong[at]student[dot]uni-tuebingen[dot]de if you have any further questions regarding the study.

1. Purpose

In this study we investigate working memory.

2. Procedure

In the following, you will receive detailed information regarding the procedure of the study.

First, you will receive instructions on how the task works. Then we will ask you some questions to ensure you correctly understood the task. After that, you will get to try out the task, and finally do the task in full. Your performance in the full task will affect your bonus payment. The entire study will take about 10 minutes.

3. Compensation

You will receive £1.50 for your participation. You can also earn a bonus of up to £1.50 depending on your performance in the task.

4. Data protection

Once we have awarded you your bonus payment, your Prolific ID will be deleted from the study data [this only applies in cases of bonus payments]. The experiment data will be stored under a randomly assigned participant number on a server at the University of Tübingen. This means that it will become impossible to link the study data to you. All data collected during this study will be treated confidentially and all individuals with access to your personal data are obliged to maintain data secrecy. We are not responsible for the handling of your personal data through the Prolific platform.
The study data may also be made publicly accessible via research databases or scientific publications (typically via the internet). This makes it possible for other researchers to check or replicate the results and enhances the quality of scientific research. The study data may also be used for new research questions going beyond the purposes of this particular study. The data is stored anonymously, treated confidentially, and used only for scientific purposes. You are free to withdraw, in which case recorded data will not be used (cf. point 6).

5. Voluntary participation

Your participation in this research is entirely voluntary. There will be no repercussions when canceling your participation.

6. Right to refuse or withdraw

You do not have to take part in this study if you do not wish to do so. You are free to withdraw your consent and do not need to provide a reason for your withdrawal. Participants who drop out of the study for any reason (e.g., technical issues) are eligible for full or partial compensation. Please contact valerio[dot]rubino[at]gmail.com and include a screenshot of the experiment website if possible. If you withdraw from the study before data collection is completed, your data will not be used. If you withdraw from the study after completing the study, but before bonus payments have been processed, you can request the deletion of your data. After the processing of bonus payments, your Prolific ID will be removed from the study data and it will be fully anonymized, making it not possible to link you with your data.

7. Risks

Your participation does not involve any physical or emotional risk to you. You are free to withdraw at any time.

8. Insurance coverage

Not necessary for participating in this study.

9. Responsible contact

If you have questions or if there are any problems, please contact yirong[dot]xiong[at]student[dot]uni-tuebingen[dot]de. You can also use this email to request the withdrawal of your data.

Consent

By clicking on the button below, you agree to the following:

• I have read and understood the conditions outlined above. I consent to participate in the study and agree to the collection, storage, and use of my data as described above.

Instructions:

Please read the following instructions very carefully:

In the task, you will need to decide two monsters are identical or not, There are 40 trials in the task.
Each monster has four body parts, including feet, mouth, eyes and head. Each body part has two possible shapes.

There are two rows of monsters.
In each round, we will first show the upper row for 5 seconds. Then we will reveal a target monster in one of the two boxes in the bottom row.
You need to decide if this target monster is identical to the one directly on top of it from the upper row.

Please answer a few questions about this study before proceeding

Only when you answered all the question correctly will you be able to start the study.

Great job! You've answered all the questions correctly and can now begin the task.

Please decide whether the target monster is identical to the one directly above it by pressing 'Y' (Yes) or 'N' (No).
You will get feedback every 10 rounds.

Receive Payment

Thank you for completing our study.

Please check that your Prolific ID is correct. If not entered correctly, you may not be able to receive your bonus.

Prolific ID:

How old are you?

What's your gender?
Female
Male
Other

Please let us know what strategies you used:
Describe your strategy

You have now completed the experiment.