PLAIN LANGUAGE STATEMENT AND CONSENT FORM

Date: 24th of May, 2011
Full Project Title: The effect of information on perceptions of Climate Change
Principal Researchers: Tom Miller, Dr Ben Richardson

Your Consent
You are invited to take part in this research project.
This Plain Language Statement contains detailed information about the research project. Its purpose is to explain to you as openly and clearly as possible all the procedures involved in this project so that you can make a fully informed decision about whether or not you wish to participate. Please read this Plain Language Statement carefully. Feel free to ask questions about any information in the document. You may also wish to discuss the project with a relative or friend or your local health worker. Feel free to do this.
You can print a copy of the Plain Language Statement to keep as a record.

Purpose and Background
This study is designed to investigate attitudes towards climate change (also known as global warming).
Climate change is considered by some to be one of the most important issues facing the world today. The predicted impacts of climate change are potentially dramatic and far-reaching with effects felt not only in Australia but also across the world.
The purpose of this study is to understand factors that may influence people’s perceptions of climate change as well as factors that may influence people’s willingness to pay or contribute to solutions, such as a tax on carbon. Approximately 200 to 400 people will participate in this study.
You are invited to participate in this research project because you are over 18 and part of the voting population of Australia.

Funding
This research is funded by Deakin University.

Procedures
Participation in this study will involve the completion of an anonymous online questionnaire that should take around 8 to 10 minutes. You will be presented with a brief paragraph of information adapted from the most recent IPCC report on climate change (2007). You will then be asked to answer some questions regarding your perceptions of the risks of climate change, and how soon you think its impacts will be felt (if at all). The questionnaire will also ask about your willingness to pay for initiatives that may help to mitigate climate change, such as a tax on carbon.
If, after reading this plain language statement, you are interested in taking part, you can proceed to the questionnaire by clicking the link at the bottom of this page. Completing the questionnaire indicates you have consented to participate in this research.

Possible Benefits
The findings of this research have the potential to help understand factors underlying people’s perceptions of climate change and solutions to climate change. It is possible that participation will not provide direct benefits to individual participants.

Possible Risks
This is considered to be a low risk project. However, there is a small chance that you may experience some discomfort while participating in the questionnaire. If this occurs, please feel free to stop at any time.

Privacy, Confidentiality and Disclosure of Information
To protect your privacy, data collected as part of the project will not be associated with any identifying information (it is completely anonymous). Publications resulting from this study will only report aggregated, group level data. Data obtained as part of the study will be securely stored for a minimum of six years, consistent with Deakin University guidelines.

Results of Project
If you are interested in the outcome of the research please contact the primary researcher on the project, Tom Miller (trmiller@deakin.edu.au), who will be able to provide you with a summary of the results. In addition, the results of this study will be reported in a peer-reviewed publication and as a part of the thesis requirement for Tom Miller’s Psychology (Honours) course.

Participation is Voluntary
Participation in any research project is voluntary. If you do not wish to take part you are not obliged to. If you decide to take part and later change your mind, you are free to withdraw from the project at any stage until you have submitted your results back to the researchers (after which time your data are made anonymous and it will not be possible to remove your contributions from the analysis).
Your decision whether or not to participate will not affect yourrelationship with Deakin University.
Before you make your decision, a member of the research team is available to answer any questions you have about the project. You can ask for any information you want. Complete the questionnaire only after you have had a chance to ask your questions and have received satisfactory answers.

Ethical Guidelines
This project will be carried out according to the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007) produced by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. This statement has been developed to protect the interests of people who agree to participate in human research studies.
The ethics aspects of this research project have been approved by the Human Ethics Advisory Group – Health (HEAG-H) of Deakin University.

Complaints

If you have any complaints about any aspect of the project, the way it is being conducted or any questions about your rights as a research participant, then you may contact:

The Manager, Office of Research Integrity
Deakin University,
221 Burwood Highway,
Burwood
Victoria 3125
Telephone: 9251 7129
Facsimile: 9244 6581
Email: research-ethics@deakin.edu.au
Please quote project number HEAG-H 80/2011 12.

Further Information, Queries or Any Problems
If you require further information please contact any of the researchers involved in the project.

Tom Miller
School of Psychology, Deakin University
Email trmiller@deakin.edu.au

Ben Richardson
School of Psychology, Deakin University
Ph 9244 6024
Email benr@deakin.edu.au

If you wish to take part in this research please click the following button to indicate that you have read and understood the terms of the plain language statement and agree to participate. Pressing the Submit button at the conclusion of the questionnaire will indicate your consent.