‘Effects of expressing views, opinions and emotions in internet forums on wellbeing’
Please could you take part in a study exploring how expressing views, opinions and emotions in forums can affect wellbeing? This study is being conducted by researchers at Sheffield Hallam University. The purpose of this study is to explore how expressing views, opinions and emotions and other factors influence changes in wellbeing, with the expectation that forum use leads to heightened wellbeing.
This study will take very little of your time and you can continue to use the forum as you would in any case. You would be asked to complete a short survey at the start of the study, which you can begin at any time, and another 1 month later. The initial survey is estimated to take around 20 minutes to complete. To explore how different expressions affect wellbeing, your posts during this time would also be analysed anonymously to identify opinions expressed and emotional words, how often they appear and how positive or negative they are, but you are not obligated to post anything and you can use the site as if you were not involved in a study, and you can also withdraw at any time. The results of the study will be written up as a journal article with the intention of publication in a relevant journal.
Remember that none of the information you provide will be connected back to you. All survey responses are kept confidential. Your name is never stored with the data or with any other information you provide. The information in the study records will be kept confidential. No one will see your responses except for the researchers.
To participate, please click on the link below to be directed to a secure online questionnaire site.
Click here to take Questionnaire 1
If you have any questions about participating in this study, please contact the researchers below.
Thanks for your willingness to participate!
Brett Pagdin
Sheffield Hallam University
Katie Cutts
Sheffield Hallam University