Online psychology studies and their effectiveness

¶ … Professional Research Study: Personality and Individual Differences:

"Spirituality, Personality, and Mental Health" ("Online Social Psychology Studies")

This study is being conducted by Dr. Human-Friedrich Unterrainer, Department of Psychology, Karl-Franzens, University Graz, Austria in collaboration with Heythrop College (University of London), United Kingdom. The Heythrop Ethics Review Board (University of London) approved of the study. I thought it was great that the origins and validity of the study was thoroughly explained. It left me feeling more confident about taking it. I also appreciated that it was stated that "the study involves no more than minimal risk to participants and contains no deception." (Unterrainer). I am glad this was said because it left me feeling more trusting knowing the study is anonymous, especially because some quite personal questions were asked. All responses are treated as strictly confidential.

There is a in this study which has indicated that that most of the participants that have answered this questionnaire how found it very interesting. There have not as of yet been no complaints and no feels of increased stress. However, if you are under-going a difficult life situation at the moment it might be preferable not to take part in this study. I found this to be welcoming and precise information, and sensitive of them to warn that you might want to skip the study if you are not in a good place emotionally. I thought providing the warning was kind.

No religions group sponsored the study, and the data will not at all be passed on to religious organizations. The introduction to the study explains that if you "God," feel free to substitute it with a term you find suitable, such as "higher power." "God" came up a lot in the questions but that state of my beliefs did not matter so much, which made it easier to answer the questions quickly and reactively, which the heads of the study mentioned they preferred.

It is also possible to complete the questionnaire if you have agnostic or atheistic beliefs. All in all, this made me feel comfortable and that the people leading the study are open-minded.

The questions started as more general about your feelings and gradually became so personal to the point that I was glad the study is anonymous. I noticed some repetition of questions, especially having to do with feelings, but I have noticed this in other studies before. I also understand that comparing the answers to similar questions is a way of studying the person's or groups overall reactions to specific issues.

I honestly enjoyed taking this study. The section that asks about how you've felt during the past week and today contained the most personal questions, I thought. I did try to answer the questions quickly as it was stated that is the most accurate way to conduct a study like this one.

I was surprised at some of my answers about my feelings regarding this past week. Answering the questions led to me being quite self-reflective during and after the study. I did not realize I was feeling certain things, for instance, until I was confronted with such straightforward questions. I found the last part most important for myself for these reasons. The first two sections, for instance, asked about whether or not I am social, were easier to answer because I