Welcome.  Thank you for looking into our study. Over the following Web pages, you will read a summary of a hypothetical civil lawsuit and then be asked to answer certain questions about what you read.

At the beginning of the next page, a message box will appear and tell you your random identification number.  You should write this number down.  If you experience any problems or receive any error messages while completing this survey, please email Kevin O'Neil at koneil@jjay.cuny.edu immediately and report the content of the error message.  The identification number will help to identify and solve the error.

You must first read the consent form below.  If you consent to participate, answer the questions below the text and then click on the button at the very bottom of the page.

Informed Consent Form
Risk Management and Juries
IRB # 

You are invited to participate in a research study conducted over the Web. The following information is provided to help you make an informed decision whether or not to participate. Your participation is completely voluntary. You must be at least 18 years old to participate.

Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study is to examine what factors influence mock jurors' verdicts in civil product liability cases. Participation in this study will require about 30 minutes of your time.

Study Procedures: You will be asked to read a scenario depicting a products liability case that may involve severe injuries or death, and to answer questions about it on a Web page. The scenario will involve a trial summary in which a plaintiff is suing a defendant. You will be asked to imagine you are a juror in the case and to determine liability and damage awards. We will also ask your reaction to various aspects of the cases.

Risks: The only risk to participating in this study is that you might become upset when you read about the plaintiffs' injuries or death, especially if you or someone you know has suffered harm from similar scenarios. This event is unlikely, but if you are concerned about it you may withdraw from the study at any time.

Benefits: Although this study is not designed to help you personally, you may find the learning experience enjoyable, you may learn a little bit about how psychological research is conducted, and the process may help you better understand the legal process. The information gained from this study will help us better understand the factors that influence jurors in the decision processes in product liability cases.

Privacy: Any information obtained during this study that could identify you will be kept strictly confidential. The study will collect information about the browser you are using and your IP address. No personal information will be placed on your browser by the use of cookies. The personal information collected will be deleted from the database once data collection is completed and compensation has been given. The information gained from this study may be published in scientific journals or presented at scientific meetings, but your identity will be kept strictly confidential.

Compensation: If you complete all required parts and questions of the study and are a U.S. citizen, you are eligible to be entered into a lottery with prizes being one prize of $500, one of $250, and two of $125. You are free to decide not to participate in this study or to withdraw at any time without adversely affecting your relationship with the investigators or John Jay College of Criminal Justice, but you will not be eligible for the lottery.

Questions: You may ask questions of the experimenter and have those questions answered, before agreeing to participate or during the research. You may call or email the researcher at any time at the number or address listed below. If you have any questions about your rights as a research participant, you may contact the chair of the John Jay College Institutional Review Board, Dr. Martin Wallenstein, at 212-237-8364.

Name and Phone Number of Principal Investigators at John Jay College of Criminal Justice: 

Steven D. Penrod, Ph.D.   (212) 237-8877         spenrod@jjay.cuny.edu 
Kevin M. O'Neil, Ph.D.     (212) 237-8753         koneil@jjay.cuny.edu

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS, you may contact Kevin O'Neil by Email at koneil@jjay.cuny.edu.

IRB # 2002-