My name is Chris Quinn and I am conducting research in the Department of Psychology that explores links between gambling and certain video game mechanics. This research is being conducted as part of my studies and will be submitted for examination.

You are invited to participate in a research study that will form the basis for a postgraduate thesis. Please read the following information before deciding whether to participate.

What are the objectives of the study?

This study aims to discover if video game micro-transactions or  loot box mechanics are linked to the same behavioural motivations as gambling behaviours. A debrief will be offered after participation, where any questions additional will be answered following participation.

Why have I been asked to participate?

 I would like to collect information from different people regarding this quantitative study on the behavioural similarity of video game microtransactions mechanics to gambling.

In order to participate, you must meet the following criteria:

•              Must over 18 years of age

Format of the study

There are two surveys involved in the experiment – a micro-transaction and loot box task survey and a gambling survey.

Right to withdraw

Participants have the right to withdraw from the research at any time for whatever reason. Participants can also request at any time to have their response data removed from record.

Are there any benefits from my participation?

While there will be no direct benefit from participation studies like this can make an important contribution to our understanding this topic further. As such, the findings from this study may be presented at national and international conferences and will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals. Interim and final reports will be prepared. However no individual participant will be identified in any publication or presentation. Individuals will not be offered any monetary or other rewards for their participation.

Are there any risks involved in participation?

There are no known risks associated with participation.  After participation, a debriefing stage will be offered where any further questions will be answered, or any questions can be emailed to my email address below.

Confidentiality

All individual information collected as part of the study will be used solely for experimental purposes. They will be stored safely and will not be publicly displayed or published without prior consent. Data collected is stored in the EU, for five years, and will be used for research purposes to generate research content such as publications and presentations.

Please note this research has been ethically approved by the DBS College Human Research Ethics Committee.

Contact Details

Should you require any further information about the research, please contact

Chris Quinn, 10509628@mydbs.ie. My supervisor can be contacted at n.bourke@imperial.ac.uk.

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey.