Research on How Virtual Socialization Affects Memory
Link to sign-up form:
https://ryersonpsych.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4SmBfHhg34XuZPU.
STUDY TITLE: Associative Memory in a Virtual Socialization Event
INVESTIGATORS:
This research study is being conducted by Sophie Bhaskara (Graduate Student Researcher in the Cognitive Aging Laboratory) and is supervised by Dr. Lixia Yang from the Department of Psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY:
The purpose of this study is to investigate memory for associative and source information in a virtual socialization event among younger and older adults. The results of this study will contribute to Sophie Bhaskara's Master's thesis. For this study, we hope to recruit 102 healthy individuals (51 younger, 51 older) who meet the following inclusion criteria:
1) Age aged 18 to 29, or 65+
2) Do not have any previous neurological conditions (e.g., stroke, prolonged unconsciousness, or a head injury)
3) Have normal or corrected-to-normal eyesight and hearing
4) Are proficient in English
5) Are comfortable with using, and have reliable access to Zoom via a computer or laptop ONLY
6) Did not participate in the IPAM study (a similar study conducted in 2021-2022) in our lab
7) Did not participate in the AMVS study (a similar study conducted in 2024-2025) in our lab
WHAT YOU WILL BE ASKED TO DO:
If you volunteer to participate in this study, you will be asked to do the following things:
This study will be held online in a group format over Zoom. During the Zoom session, you will be watching a video of people sequentially presenting self-introductions of their names and occupations, and you will try to remember the presented information. At the end, you will complete an online Qualtrics task independently in which you need to recognize the studied or new information. You will also complete some questions related to emotional state, demographic information (e.g., age, gender, education, and health), social engagement/loneliness, and any technological difficulties.
Please note that you will be required to turn on your video camera, and show your face for the duration of the study. Please choose a location that ensures both aural and visual privacy while completing this study to best protect confidentiality. We also strongly advise choosing a location where there is minimal to no background interference. The study will take approximately 60 minutes to complete. Participants will be asked to provide contact information to receive Zoom meeting details and compensation afterwards.
INCENTIVES FOR PARTICIPATION:
As an appreciation for your time and effort, you will receive a $15 e-gift card of your choice for participating in this study. This will be forwarded to your email once your responses have been collected.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE STUDY:
If you have any questions about the research, you may contact the research team at cal@torontomu.ca, or you may contact Sophie Bhaskara at sbhaskara@torontomu.ca. You may also contact the supervisor of this study, Dr. Lixia Yang, at lixiay@torontomu.ca or call (416)-979-5000 extension. 554987.
This study has been reviewed by the Toronto Metropolitan University Research Ethics Board (2024-460). If you have questions regarding your rights as a participant in this study please contact:
Research Ethics Board
c/o Office of the Vice President, Research & Innovation
Toronto Metropolitan University
350 Victoria St, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3
416-979-5000 ext. 555042; rebchair@torontomu.ca
TIMELINE FOR PARTICIPATION:
We will be recruiting participants for this study until April 2026, with the possibility of continuing recruitment through the summer. If you are interested in participating, please click on the link below to v view the full consent form and sign up for the study!
https://ryersonpsych.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4SmBfHhg34XuZPU.