You are invited to take part in a research study that examines how people's consumption of true crime media is related to emotional reactions to real-world violence. If you consent, you will complete this anonymous online survey about your media habits and emotional reactions. Not even I will know what responses belong to you. Data will also be stored securely on encrypted storage. This survey contains multiple-choice and Likert-scale question and a few optional open-ended prompts. Risks are minimal but some questions may be upsetting because they involve violent content. You may skip any question or stop at any time. There may be no direct benefit to you, but the study will help me better understand media effect. Participation is completely voluntary. You may
withdraw permission at anytime before you submit the survey which will not result in any penalty.
Please read the following information VERY carefully to consider your participation in my survey.
Introduction- I am a student at Woodmont Highschool, and l am in a class that requires me to complete a research study. My project is finding a deeper understanding of how and why people become desensitized to violence through the repeated consumption of true crime media.
- You have been selected as a possible participant because you are in the True Crime Community on Reddit, TikTok, or Instagram, or you got sent this from a friend/family member.
- I ask that you read this form before agreeing to participate in this study.
Purpose of the Study- The purpose of the study is to determine whether consistent exposure to true crime media contributes to emotional desensitization toward real-world violence. Specifically, I aim to examine whether individuals who frequently engage with true crime content over extended periods exhibit reduced fear, empathy, and emotional responsiveness compared to those with minimal or no exposure. The purpose of this study is to better understand the potential psychological effects of habitual true crime consumption and how such media engagement may shape individuals’ emotional sensitivity and reactions to violence.
- The results of this study will potentially be published; signing the consent form means you consent to participate AS WELL as consent for the study to be published.
- If you participate in this study, you will be asked to complete an online survey that takes approximately 10–15 minutes. The survey includes questions about your true crime media habits, emotional reactions to violence, personal experience with violence, and basic demographic information. You can also choose to answer a few optional open-ended questions about your personal reflections. There are no experimental procedures involved in this study.
Risks and Benefits- This study involves minimal risk, limited to possible mild discomfort when reflecting on personal experiences or emotional reactions to violence. There will be a website linked to every section for the potential event that you become triggered during this survey.
- There are no benefits for participation.
Confidentiality- This study is anonymous, and I will not be collecting/retaining any information about your identity. Findings from the study will not include any information in any report that would make it possible to identify you.
- The records of this study will be kept strictly confidential.
- All responses will remain confidential and stored securely in password-protected files accessible only to the researcher and project advisor. No audio or video recordings will be made.
Questions and Concerns- You have the right to ask questions about this research study and to have those questions answered before, or after the research. If you have any further questions about the study, at any time feel free to contact me, Jayla Gibson, at jgibso1252@greenvilleschools.us.
- A summary of the results of the study can be sent to you upon request.
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