Hi [My Full NAme],
My name is Jenna [REDACTED], and I am a graduate student in the Psychology Department at University of Maryland, College Park. Along with Dr. Edward [REDACTED] ([REDACTED]@umd.edu) and the Interpersonal Relationship Lab, we are contacting you to ask if you would consider participating in our study. We would greatly appreciate your participation if you are eligible. We found your name in an online database of MD residents, although you are not required to currently live in MD to be eligible for this study.
This study examines the role of people's beliefs about the world in their friendships, romantic relationships, and workplace behavior, and can be done entirely from home. Participation involves completing online surveys and having a one-hour meeting over Zoom with a research assistant and your romantic partner (i.e., dating partner, fiancé, or spouse). A year later, you and your partner would complete these procedures again so we can examine changes over time.
You and your partner would be paid $150 per person ($300 per couple) for completing all of the requirements. Your payment is distributed in two installments, one is distributed a couple weeks after you enroll and the other is distributed a year later. You will have the option of being paid with Tango Card, an online gift card service that provides access to over 100 gift cards (e.g., Amazon, Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Best Buy, Visa Prepaid Card; see here for a complete list:
www.rewardsgenius.com/reward-catalog/) or with a debit card mailed to your home (debit cards have a $5 processing fee).
Eligibility requirements:
1. You are involved in a romantic relationship (i.e., you have a dating partner, fiancé, or spouse) and have been in this relationship for at least three months.
2. You and your partner are 24 years old or older, fluent in English, and current residents of the USA.
3. You and your partner are willing to participate and attend the same online session via Zoom (an online videoconferencing platform). You and your partner must each have your own laptop or desktop computer with a working camera, mic, speakers, and Internet connection, and are able to use Zoom. Please note that you and your partner must be in different rooms when you have the Zoom session with the research assistant.
4. You and your partner are both currently employed in positions that involve frequent interaction with coworkers, work at different places, and are not expecting to leave your job in the next year.
5. You and your partner are willing to provide the name and contact information (i.e., phone and email) for 2 coworkers (or colleagues) and 2 friends each, who would be asked to complete paid surveys. Please note that it is not required that you reach out to your friends and coworkers in advance, as we will handle all of the outreach. Also, your payment is not dependent on your friends' or coworkers' agreeing to participate.
o Your coworkers and friends must also be residents of the USA.
This study is approved by the UMD Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects and adheres to all relevant ethical guidelines.
Please reply if you have any questions or concerns that you'd like to discuss, or contact [REDACTED]@umd.edu for more information and to schedule a session.
We are currently in need of participants, and your participation could contribute to our knowledge about the role of world beliefs for people's social functioning. Thanks for considering this!
All the best,
Jenna
-
Jennifer [REDACTED], B.S., M.P.S.
Research Coordinator
Department of Psychology
University of Maryland
What they said. I'd never participate in something like that.
