Current studies

New Projects 2023-2024

Please find below some of our research projects for our psychology and neuroscience students at universities across Scotland (and sometimes further afield). We rely on participation from all walks of life and hope very much that you will take part in our research. This site is updated daily and your participation is a really valuable part of the training for our students and will help them to be more skilled researchers in the future. Thanks!

18/03/24

Leveraging Large Language Models to Increase Engagement and Inclusion: A Study of Higher Education Invitation paragraph

You are being invited to voluntarily participate in a research study examining the use of artificial intelligence technologies in higher education. The goal of the study is to better understand how use of large language models may be associated with university students’ academic motivation and course engagement. Your participation will involve completing a set of online questionnaires regarding your experience with language models, academic self-efficacy, neurodiversity, and study behaviours. The full survey should take 10-15 minutes.

Please follow the link: https://wolverhamptonpsych.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8jhVxAvyORmyNGS

03/03/24

The factors that underlie the aesthetic experience when viewing artworks.

We invite you to participate in a research project that aims to explore the human aesthetic experience. The task will consist of selecting 3 pieces of art which were most enjoyable from a wide selection of modern art works online. A short questionnaire will then be attempted. The study will take roughly 30 minutes.

Please follow the link:

https://research.sc/participant/login/dynamic/490E69FC-18A5-423E-A2B7-3E61E150F5C2

02/03/24

Personality traits and attachment styles of migrant population in the UK.

This study, which is part of an MSc Psychology Dissertation, aims to understand the main personality traits among a diverse migrant population in the UK, and how they influence their attachment styles, which then impact their social interactions. You are at least 18 years of age and arrived in the United Kingdom when you were 18 or over years old. The whole process should not take longer than 15 minutes.

Please follow the link: https://wolverhamptonpsych.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0PY7WrlopMAXUZ8

Personality and Perception: Unveiling the Influence of the Big Five and Self-Efficacy on SEN Teachers’ Effectiveness

This study aims to investigate how personality traits, particularly those measured by the Big Five Inventory, and self-efficacy beliefs influence teachers’ perceived effectiveness in classrooms inclusive of students with Special Educational Needs (SEN). The study seeks to enhance understanding of teaching dynamics in inclusive education. Your participation will be less than 20 minutes. Please follow the link: https://wolverhamptonpsych.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9NMT2z1qhiwiwL4

Exploring the Influence of Mental Health Beliefs and Attitudes on Emotional Eating: A Cross-Cultural Study Among Arab Women in East Africa and the UK.

Investigating the impact of mental health beliefs and attitudes on emotional eating within the Arab Women population residing in two distinct geographic regions: East Africa and the UK. The exploration aims to uncover potential external factors, beyond Arab culture, such as age, health literacy, and acculturation, that may influence individuals’ mental health beliefs and attitudes and their connection to emotional eating tendencies. Please follow the link: https://wolverhamptonpsych.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_73dcsx15wsGAbzM

A comparative study of teachers’ perception of their societal value on measures of self-efficacy and collective self-esteem identity, further exploring the mediating role of locus of control.

The research involvement should last for approximately 20-25 minutes and will involve the completion of an online survey. The survey will contain some general questions relating to your teaching characteristics, such as the key stage you teach, length of time as a teacher, and gender. Further questions relating to your perceptions of how valued you feel teachers are, teacher self-efficacy, collect self-esteem and teacher locus of control will also be included. Please follow the link:

https://wolverhamptonpsych.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8j1fpUnBGIJA2h0

01/03/24

I am conducting a research study to fulfill the requirements for a PhD in International Psychology at The Chicago School. The purpose of this study is to determine cultural factors of protection against white nationalism.
 
You may participate in this study if:
 
• You are over 18.
 
• You were raised in Scotland.
 
• You are a resident/citizen of Scotland.
 
During this study, you will be asked to assess your cultural outlook and beliefs about society. This study will be conducted online.
 
There are three sections of the study; interview, focus group, and survey. The platforms used will be HIPAA compliant versions of Zoom and SurveyMonkey. Time to complete each section will be between 5-10 minutes, participants will only be asked to complete one. If you are interested and/or have any questions, please contact me or leave a social media handle where you can be reached. 
 

28/02/24

Examining the Role of Personality Traits in Aesthetic Preference and Emotion Experience.

We are looking for participants with no prior art expertise nor major visual deficits (e.g. colour blindness) to participate in a research project investigating personality traits and its potential association to the aesthetic emotion and aesthetic preference ratings. The experiment is completely online via Gorilla. In this experiment, you will be asked to fill out a demographic questionnaire (i.e., age, gender, art expertise), a personality questionnaire that will ask about both positive and negative traits, and given a preference and aesthetic experience rating task when viewing artistic images, in which you are required to give honest ratings according to the instructions. There will be a total of 10 trials of abstract artworks in which will be visible on your screen in a randomised order. For each trial, you may adjust and click your pointer to appropriate place on either 5-point or 7-point scale to indicate your answers. This study will take no longer than 25 minutes for completion.

If you are interested, please get in contact using the details below. Or you may use the link below for direct access to the study:

https://research.sc/participant/login/dynamic/7B155888-5693-4F76-B5A6-C0ED7C221C5E

28/02/24

Influence of personality traits on the attachment styles of migrant population in the United Kingdom.

Research shows that personality influences the decision to migrate and also the adult attachment styles, which in turn affect social interactions, copying with new situation and stress. International migrants represent a significant proportion of the British population, however research on personality traits and adult attachment styles among this highly diverse group is limited.

This study aims to enhance knowledge on the Big Five personality traits and secure, avoidant and anxious attachment styles among international migrants in the United Kingdom. The findings might be used in future to facilitate migrants’ integration with British society and their access to public services, particularly to psychological support.

Participants will be requested to complete an online questionnaire in English language (please see the link below). The process should not take longer than 15 minutes. Individuals born outside of the UK, who arrived in the UK when they were at least 18 years old, and are currently living in this country, can participate in the study via this link https://wolverhamptonpsych.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0PY7WrlopMAXUZ8

 
 

27/02/24

St Andrews Students only: Understanding Social Connections and Prosocial Behavior in a University Setting

We invite you to participate in a research project investigating social experiences and prosocial behavior in a university setting. To participate, you must be 16 years or older and a University of St Andrews undergraduate student. You will also need to have a working internet connection on your computer/laptop/tablet (not your phone).

In the study, you would be asked to answer 5 questions about your feelings about the university and 6 questions about prosocial behavior towards your peers. Then, you would be asked to read four short graphic novel-style conversations about some common challenges at university and be asked to answer some further similar types of questions.

Participation should take no longer than approximately 20 minutes. At the end of the study, you would be given the opportunity to enter a prize draw in which you could win one of 5 £10 Amazon.co.uk vouchers, by entering your email address in a separate questionnaire. Email addresses will never be linked directly to the data from the study, which will be anonymous, even to the researchers.

To find out more and participate: https://standrews.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3TXVuLoqsnPZgYC

22/02/24

The Digital Age: Understanding the influence of Social Media on Girls’ Self-Esteem and Mental Health.

Female participants aged between 18-30 wanted for an online study investigating the effects of social media use on self-esteem and mental health in young adult girls. The study consists of 4 questionnaires and takes around 15 minutes to complete.

Please follow this link: https://qualtricsxmsdgk54chq.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6l47cE5EeVXlhvE

19/02/24

We are looking for participants (native speakers of English between the ages of 18 and 40) for an online study that involves rating simple sentences. The study takes 15 minutes to complete and is available here (please use a computer/laptop, rather than a phone/tablet):

https://tstbl.co/320-794

If you have any questions regarding the study, please contact Dr. Agnieszka Konopka ([email protected]), Dr. Anastasia Klimovich-Gray ([email protected]) or Dr. Arabella Sinclair ([email protected]) at the University of Aberdeen.

Thank you very much for participating!

16/02/24

Investigating mock juror’s perception of repressed memories.

Participants aged 18 and over wanted for a 15-minute online study investigating mock juror’s perceptions of repressed memories. Please follow this link to take part: https://qualtricsxm869rs9vsr.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7QIZqPrcKHHt3qm.

 

Factors Influencing the Wellbeing of Mature Students in the UK

I would like to invite you to participate in my research project investigating the wellbeing of students in the UK. During the study, you will be asked to complete a wellbeing questionnaire and answer three short questions about factors you think influence your wellbeing as a student at university. 

This study will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. If you are interested in taking part, please click on the link: https://qualtricsxmzqp9qcs3k.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2f7R9pU0mLNV8KG

Thank you for your time, please get in touch with any questions: Lisa McGregor, [email protected].

13/02/24

How do sporting cultures impact dual career athletes? A comparison of dual career athletes in individual and team sports.             

Hi everyone!  I’m looking for participants to take part in a study for the fulfilment of my MSc Psychology of Sport degree. I am interested in understanding the experiences of University student dual career athletes. Taking part in the study would involve a 15-30 minute, semi-structured interview discussing your experiences of balancing an academic career and a sporting career. Interviews will take place online using the MS Teams platform and the date and time would be at the discretion of the interviewee. 

If you think you are suitable for this study and would be interested in taking part, please contact Kim Dailly via email: [email protected]

09/02/24

 
Action Perception and Individual Differences
This study aims to explore the effects of Autism, Schizophrenia, and Aphantasia on our ability to perceive and predict the actions of another. This study will involve you completing a simple hand prediction task followed by a series of three questionnaires to assess your autistic traits, schizotypy traits, and the vividness of your mental imagery. You can find the link for the study here: https://mili2nd.eu/jiec

07/02/24

The relationship between handedness and anxiety?

I am inviting people (17+) to take part in my psychology honours research project examining the relationship between handedness and different types of anxiety through a series of online questionnaires/tasks. The study will take between 20-25 minutes and can be completed online in following this link:

https://research.sc/participant/login/dynamic/305A8C39-A8DD-4593-8C3C-5CC6BF9F3726

Please ensure you run this study on a PC or Laptop only as the task does not work via a tablet or mobile device.

02/02/24

(1) The Influence of Isolation Caused by the COVID-19-pandemic on Student’s Loneliness Today

This study explores the effect of social isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to students’ loneliness today. We are looking for participants who started their university studies between 2019 and 2022. The study includes a questionnaire and an opportunity for an interview.

Here is the link to the study: https://abertay.fra1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ewIkWrpAnKBP8uW

(2) Shadows in the Digital Realm: Investigating the Associations Between the Dark Triad Traits, Social Media Usage, and Self-Presentation Behaviours

Participants aged 18-45 who use social media are wanted for a 15-minute online study investigating the influence of personality traits on social media usage and self-presentation behaviours. Access to the internet required (i.e., Laptop, phone, etc). Link to online study: https://forms.gle/X9w2QbUrQqWrhJhz5

(3) Citizen participation and responses in relation to missing person cases.

Participants aged 18 and over sought for a 5-10 minute study on citizen participation in missing person cases. You will be asked to read a missing person scenario and then answer questions in relation to the case.  https://abertay.fra1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_08Ro9IY4ra0zcIm

(4) Circumstances, social and personal relationships, and touch preferences. 

I am inviting people (18+) to take part in my undergrad research project investigating people´s affective touch experiences. Would you like to help expand scientific knowledge about touch?

Much is known about the importance of a comforting hug or holding hands between romantic partners. However, less is understood about the importance people place on receiving affectionate displays such as a hug or a tap on the back from other members of their social groups like a close friend or a family member. The aim of this study is to contribute to narrowing the gap in our understanding of the implications affectionate touch has on human lives.

The whole study will take 15 minutes and can be completed online in following the link . https://abertay.fra1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3seBVnbF8fP9fHE  

(5)

Personality, world beliefs and work-life balance
 
The survey consists of 60 Likert Scale questions on personality traits, primal world beliefs, and attitude towards work-life balance. It is expected to be completed within 10-15 min.
 
This study aims at exploring the relationship between personality traits and the most basic beliefs people have about the world, and how they might predict people’s attitudes towards work-life balance. 
 
Work forms a big part of life in adulthood, but at the same time there are other important elements in life. The attitude towards work-life balance varies among people. The purpose of this study is to find out what drives such difference in attitude, and whether personality traits and world beliefs predict such attitude.
 
If you are interested to participate, here is the link to the survey:
 
Thank you for your interest and participation!

01/02/24

Influence of Culture on Self-Reference Effect

This study is looking for participants from diverse backgrounds to for the advancement of our understanding of collectivist and individualist cultures and the influence of cultural differences in self-reference effects in memory. Your input will take only 20 minutes and would be deeply appreciated. 

To participate, just follow this link:  Influence of Culture on Self-Reference Effect.

30/01/24

Avatar counselling in university students: a randomised controlled feasibility trial

Hi! I am Solomon Cheung, a Trainee Counselling Psychologist from Glasgow Caledonian University. I am conducting research on avatar counseling for my doctoral dissertation. I am looking for English-speaking university students aged 18 and above. Exclusion criteria apply to individuals who may be vulnerable.
 
The study is an online and interactive session experienced together with the researcher. It will take around 45 minutes to complete and consists of:
1. Demographics (gender, age, education, location)
2. Whether you are receiving mental health support
3. Recall a negative event from the past 5 years that made you feel ashamed, rate psychological distress
4. Self-rated levels of self-compassion and shame
Randomised grouping: 5a. ProReal (avatar counselling) session or 5b. expressive writing
6. Follow-up ratings of self-compassion, shame, and sense of presence (if in ProReal group)
7. Feedback and comments
 
For more information, please visit the booking page: https://solomonarap3.simplybook.it/ or email: [email protected]

29/01/24

ADHD Masking

I am looking for participants with ADHD (diagnosed or self-diagnosed) to complete an online survey about ADHD masking. This will take 10-15 minutes to complete. The purpose of this research is to develop a tool which can help identify masking in individuals with ADHD, and potentially benefit the diagnostic process. To create this tool, I am looking to gather data from participants with ADHD and their experiences in order to create an accurate representation of masking in ADHD. The survey will consist of two open ended questions followed by a series of multiple-choice questions.

If you wish to participate please use the following link: https://abertay.fra1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b8E4WWgQ8jbLZzg

26/01/24

I am exploring relationships through the perspective of the Triangular Love Scale and its relationship to traditional beliefs about gender roles. 18+ participants who are currently in an intimate relationship only and the study will take less than 10 minutes to complete online DATA COLLECTION COMPLETE

23/01/24

I am looking for participants who are over 18 and who are currently a Scottish university student (but not in their first year of uni). This study is looking into how mental health can impact academic performance. This study will be carried out in the form of an online questionnaire. First participants will be asked to confirm that they are currently a Scottish university student, your age, gender, and year of study. Next, you will be asked to answer 28 questions concerning mental health. Finally, you will be asked for grades from the previous semester. This should take no longer than 15 minutes and here is the link https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/dundee/mental-health-and-academic-performance 

11/01/2024

The purpose of the research is to provide a better understanding of the unique ways that extroverts and introverts experience social anxiety. Specifically, we aim to investigate the differences in the physical, behavioral, and cognitive aspects of this experience. For the first questionnaire you will be asked to complete The Big Five Inventory and answer questions about your introverted and extroverted tendencies and traits then you will be asked to complete Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale that assesses the severity of your social anxiety symptoms. Lastly, you will be asked to complete a third questionnaire that will consist of a set of seven multiple-choice questions, to explore how you experience social anxiety physically, behaviorally, and cognitively.   

If you are over 18 and have ever been curious about the possible ways introverts and extroverts experience mental health differently, you are welcome to take part in the study here: https://research.sc/…/E31D1E18-54AE-4F13-BF76-BCFB13910CB4 

Taking part in my research only takes less than 15 minutes!

 

19/12/23

Are you… 

  • A woman aged 18 or over? 
  • Based in the UK?

What is the study? 

This study hopes to understand women’s risk of intimate partner violence, often referred to as domestic abuse. Specifically this study wants to understand the difference in how women with and without ADHD face this risk. You do not need to have ADHD or have experienced intimate partner violence to participate. This research project has been reviewed by the ethics board at Glasgow Caledonian University and has been approved.  

Why should I take part? 

Understanding the difference in ADHD and non ADHD women’s experience of intimate partner violence will inform our knowledge on risks specific to ADHD women. Long term this could contribute to relevant support which would benefit ADHD women. You will not be paid for taking part, but your help will add value to this important research area. Taking part is anonymous and you will not be identifiable from the results. You can close the survey at any point.  

How do I take part?  

Click the link below. The study will last approximately 5-10 minutes and will involve completing a set of questionnaires via the link below. If you want more information before deciding if you want to participate, please contact Stephanie at [email protected]. Please be aware if you contact the research team, you will no longer be anonymous to the team but your data will be protected in line with UK data protection laws.  Signposting to support relating to intimate partner violence will be provided via the link.   

 https://qualtricsxml2v8gk2td.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ah3Kg1zPwFQJjV4 

 

17/12/2023

This study is being conducted as part of an international research project, coordinated in Scotland by Dr. Anna Stefaniak and Dr. Nicole Tausch in the School of Psychology and Neuroscience.

We are looking for UK nationals who are over 18 and identify as Scottish and are students, who are hereby invited to participate in a research project about people’s engagement in various social movements and its relation to beliefs and personality traits. We will ask you questions about how you view yourself, how much you are involved in or support activism and various social actions (both non-violent and violent), and how you view the society you live in. We will also ask you about your opinions about two groups of people: those who primarily value tradition, security and conservation of the “old ways”, and those who primarily value personal autonomy, openness to change, and progress when it comes to social norms.

If you wish, you can enter a draw for a 1 in 25 chance to win a £50 Amazon gift card, you will be asked to enter your email address in a separate survey, meaning that we cannot link your email address to the data you provide in the survey. All email addresses will be deleted after the prize draw has been completed.

If you are interested, please click on the link to access the study: https://standrews.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3aPzukMxDIwFdMa

08/12/2023

Do you care for/parent an individual with or without an intellectual disability? Are you aged 18 or older?
I am looking for parents/carers for my dissertation research looking at the impact of caring for an individual with or without an intellectual disability.
The questionnaire will take 10 to 20 minutes to complete and the information collected will be anonymous.
If you are interested in participating please copy and paste this link into another tab:
The link for accessing the research is:
 
 

07/12/2023

Exploring the academic experiences of autistic students at Scottish Universities 

Participants will be required to participate in a 1-on-1 semi-structured interview. This can take place either online or in person. Please note if it’s in person this will need to be on campus at the University of Glasgow.  

 Purpose of this study? 

  • The purpose of this research is to gain a better understanding and awareness of the first-hand experiences of autistic students at university.  
  • This research aims to contribute to this field by helping to inform better guidelines regarding appropriate and effective academic support for autistic students at university.  

 Who can do this study? 

05/11/2023

I’m looking for participants for my qualitative study that is centred on the experiences of UK-based students from low socioeconomic backgrounds in their attainment of higher education through online distance learning. You will receive the questions in advance and will also receive a £15 LoveToShop voucher for your time. You might be interested to know that both me and my supervisor come from a low socioeconomic background.
 
If you’d like more information please email me: Nadine Samuel (she/her) – [email protected]

What will I have to do?

Participants will take part in an online recorded interview with me. You will have the option to keep your camera off if you wish but it is requested that your microphone is on. Interviews are expected to take between 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Participant requirements

  • at least 18 years of age
  • based in the UK.
  • either currently studying at a higher education institution through online distance learning or have previously studied at a Higher Education institution through online distance learning.
  • identify as coming from a low-socioeconomic background, (i.e., as having a low-socioeconomic background between birth and the age of 18).
  • able to read and speak English at a reasonably fluent level.

29/11/2023

Comparing Statistical Anxiety in Psychology Students: The Impact of Software, Self-Efficacy, and Motivation

The purpose of this study is to investigate and understand the differences in statistical anxiety levels among psychology students who are learning R Studio and those who are learning SPSS. Additionally, the study aims to determine to what extent the software preference as well as the self-efficacy and motivation levels towards the statistical software influence students’ statistical anxiety.

Participants will be required to state the statistical software they are learning as part of their degree and complete two small questionnaires related to the relevant content of the study and will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete.

Who can complete the study?

You must be an undergraduate first-time psychology student studying SPSS or R Studio as part of their degree.

Here is the link if you would like to particiatw in the study: https://survey.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_50hY9e3lsJkYDe6

Thank you.

22/11/23

 I am investigating people’s interpretation of stories.

It takes you less than 20 minutes, is completely anonymous, and you can enter the amazon.co.uk raffle when you finish!

DATA COLLECTION COMPLETE. THANKS!

21/11/23

Fight vs Freeze: Eco-anxiety as a predictor of active engagement with pro-environmental behaviours

There are four short questionnaires to complete and this will take about 15 minutes. We hope that you will make a valuable contribution to the better understanding of eco-anxiety. This may improve our understanding of how eco-anxiety impacts our behaviour in the future. Open to over-18s. Follow this link to be involved: Fight vs Freeze: Eco Anxiety

19/11/23

Exercise Behaviours and Body Perceptions of University Students in Scotland

Participants will be required to complete some anonymous demographic information, including their level of exercise (competitive or recreational), then two short questionnaires. The first questionnaire, with 6 items, focuses on exercise behaviours of the participant. The second questionnaire consists of 10 items to investigate body perceptions of the participant.

Who can complete the study?

  • Anyone who is currently in attendance at a university in Scotland, regardless of what level (undergraduate, masters, PhD, etc.)
  • Anyone who exercises, even if this is occasionally and even if they are not part of a sports club or gym.

Follow this link to become involved:  Exercise Behaviours and Body Perceptions of University Students in Scotland

01/11/23

Experience of Help-Seeking for Mental Health Problems within a Sexual Minority Population: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

To explore and understand the experiences of sexual minority groups in relation with help seeking for mental health problems.

Participants will be required to participate in a semi-structured interview which will ask questions about their experiences of seeking help for their mental health from both professionals (e.g., psychologists, GPs, counsellors) or non-professionals (e.g., friends, family, colleagues). The interview will take roughly 50-60 minutes to complete and can be carried out over video call on Microsoft teams or over the phone.

Who can complete the study?

  • Individuals who identify as being part of a sexual minority group, are 18 years and older and have experience of seeking help for their mental health.

 Follow this link to become involved:  https://caledonian.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/experience-of-help-seeking-for-mental-health-problems-with-2

 

 

 

Website administration

Paul Gardner
Senior Lecturer
University of St. Andrews

Email: [email protected]