Consent Form

Identification of Investigators & Purpose of Study

You are being asked to participate in a research study conducted by Dr. Lincoln Gray from James Madison University and Richard Little from the University of Southern California. The purpose of this study is to measure perceptions of our infrastructure.

Potential Risks & Benefits

The investigators do not perceive more than minimal risks from your involvement in this study, which we estimate will take 10 to 15 minutes. Potential benefits from participation might eventually include helping officials better protect our Homeland (by helping researchers understand how different people perceive our infrastructure). If you feel that viewing images of damaged infrastructure might trigger distress (a memory of a related event, or if you have post-traumatic stress disorder, for example) PLEASE CLOSE YOUR BROWSER NOW and do NOT continue. If the images trigger unfortunate memories or fears, you might wish to seek professional counseling. Neither JMU, USC, nor the investigators will pay for that treatment, however. In Harrisonburg, VA you might start by calling the Community Health Services Board (540-434-1941 or http://www.hrcsb.org/). In Minneapolis, MN you might call The University of Minnesota Medical Center, 612-273-3000 or http://www.university.fairview.org/clinical_services/mental/).

Research Procedures

This study consists of an online survey. You will first identify a broad group to which you belong (such as Security Expert or Lay Person ). You will then be shown paired pictures of infrastructure that may or may not be damaged (bridges, powerlines, roads, etc.). You will be asked to provide answers to a series of questions related to your perception of these aspects of our infrastructure. You will move a sliding bar or click radio buttons to record your responses.

Confidentiality

The results of this research may be presented at national or international conferences or journals. Only anonymous responses are obtained and recorded online, and data are kept in the strictest confidence. No identifiable information will be collected from the participant (except for the broad category into which you put yourself in the login page) and no responses identifiable to an individual will be presented in the final form of this study. All data will be stored in a secure location only accessible to the researchers. The researchers retain the right to use and publish non-identifiable data. At the end of the study, all records will be shredded. Final aggregate results will be made available to participants upon request.

Participation & Withdrawal

Your participation is entirely voluntary. You are free to choose not to participate. Should you choose to participate, you can withdraw at any time without consequences of any kind simply by closing your browser. However, once your responses have been submitted and anonymously recorded (which occurs at the end of the test) you will NOT be able to withdraw from the study, unless you immediately contact the principal investigator via email to Lincoln Gray or telephone call to 540-568-8154 and request that the data just saved be expunged.

Questions

You may have questions or concerns during the time of your participation in this study, or after its completion. If you have any questions about the study, please contact Lincoln Gray.

Giving of Consent

I have read this consent and I understand what is being requested of me as a participant in this study. I certify that I am at least 18 years of age. By clicking on the link below, and completing and submitting this anonymous online survey, I am consenting to participate in this research.

For questions about your rights as a research subject, you may contact the chair of James Madison University's Institutional Review Board (IRB). Dr. David Cockley, (540) 568-2834, cocklede@jmu.edu.