The purpose of the study is to investigate characteristics and traits preferences individuals seek in a romantic partner and at what stage in the relationship people think they can recognize their partner possesses those characteristics and traits. Eligibility to participate: Must be 18 years of age or older.
Participant's Involvement/ What would my involvement entail?
Your participation would involve a one-time session which will take approximately 20 minutes of your time to answer the online relationship desires questionnaire below where you will rank the importance you attach to 100 characteristics you seek in a romantic partner. Then, you will identify at what stage in the relationship (0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-12 months, 12-24 months) you think you would recognize your current or potential partner possesses those characteristics and attributes.
Collection of Information, including Personal Information/ What sort of information, including personal information, would be collected and how?
The information collected will include gender, age range, ethnicity, marital status, employment status, and educational level. Only the principal investigator (the researcher) will have access to the data collected. Prior to analyzing the results, responses from all participants will be aggregated (combined) as one set and the only information that could identify you (email) will be removed and replaced with a code (for example, Participant 1). Therefore, all identifying electronic records will be deleted as soon as the completed questionnaire submitted is received by the researcher.
Your responses will be collected using Jotform. The form submission, by default will be only accessible by the researcher who owns the Jotform account/questionnaire. All data collected will be then transferred from the secured Jotform account to a secured password-protected file on the researcher's computer.
The information you submit may be subject to laws in force outside of Canada. As with any information transmitted via the internet there is some risk that data may be intercepted by unauthorized parties, and therefore privacy cannot be absolutely guaranteed.
Subject to the exceptions noted on this consent form, efforts will be made by the institution and the researchers to keep the information confidential. Such efforts include: requiring researchers to sign confidentiality agreements, anonymizing or coding data.
Study Risks or Benefits for Participants/What are the risks or benefits involvedin my participation?
Participating in this research possesses minimal risk to you. The probability and magnitude of possible harms implied by participation in the research are no greater than those you would encounter in aspects of your everyday life that relates to answering a questionnaire. The benefits to participating in this project is that you would help in the advencement of research on the characteristics preferences in romantic partners and relationship longevity.
What will happen to the results of this research project?
The results of this research project will be written up in an article which will be submitted for publication in an academic journal on relationships. Also, the results may inspire a book on the topic. Participants will not be identified. Any questions can be addressed to the principal investigator Dr. Gisèle Tennant, gtennant@mtroyal.ca, 403-389-6105.
Who should I contact if I have concerns regarding ethical issues related to this research project?
If you have any questions concerning your rights as a possible participant in this research, please contact the Research Ethics Officer, at Mount Royal University, 403-440-8470, hreb@mtroyal.ca.
Voluntary Participation and Withdrawal of Consent:
You are under no obligation to participate in this research study. You are free to stop answering the questionnaire at any time and not submit the form. However, once you submit the questionnaire, data collection is completed, and withdrawing cannot occur.
Implied consent
Your completion of this questionnaire indicates that you:
- are voluntarily consenting to participate in this research project,
- understand to your satisfaction the information regarding your participation in the research projectand your agreement to participate,
- have not yet commenced participation in the research project – your participation will only begin once you complete and submit the questionnaire
- have been given adequate time and opportunity to:
- consider the information provided,
- pose any questions you may have, and
- discuss and consider whether you will participate
Consent to data placement in repository
I understand and acknowledge that as a research participant, the data I provide may be requested to be placed in a repository in order to comply with publication requirements of research journals. By checking the box below, I willingly grant my consent for my data to be placed in such a repository, ensuring its accessibility and potential reuse for scientific purposes.