INFORMED CONSENT

The On-Line Game Study is a study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania that collects information about your choices playing an on-line game. The purpose of this consent form is to give you the information you will need to help you decide whether or not to take part in this online study. You should read the information below, and ask questions about anything you do not understand, before deciding whether or not to participate.

The purpose of this study is to understand how people use peer information in on-line games. You will be informed about a list of people who are like you and who are playing an on-line name game. We will anonymously inform you via email or web interface about some of the choices these people find useful. Similarly, choices that you find useful in the on-line game may also be shared - always anonymously - with people who are also playing.

If you volunteer to participate in this study, we would ask you to do the following things:

Your participation in this study will involve participating in an on-line game. We will also anonymously take note of the choices you make, and will keep a record of the answers you provide to a questionnaire about your interests, to help us better understand how choices are related to interests. If you decide not to participate, your questionnaire answers will not be recorded.

The total amount of time needed for this study ranges between 2 and 15 minutes, depending on how interested you are in playing the on-line game.

There are no expected risks to you from this study.

You may benefit from a chance to learn about new on-line game playing strategies, and to win money for successful strategies in the on-line game.

You will be able to keep whatever money you make playing the game during this study.

Your participation in this study is completely voluntary and you are free to choose whether to be in it or not. If you choose to be in this study, you may subsequently withdraw from it at any time without penalty or consequences of any kind. The investigator may withdraw you from this research if circumstances arise which warrant doing so.

Any information that is obtained in connection with this study and that can be identified with you will remain confidential and will not be disclosed.

Contact is entirely anonymous. No personal or identifying information will be shared with other users. Moreover, your responses will not be connected with any personally identifying information about you, such as your email address.

You may terminate your involvement in the study at any time by sending an email to dcentola@asc.upenn.edu. You may also contact us if you would like to see the results of the study.

Participation in this study is entirely voluntary. You may refuse to participate or withdraw from participation at any time.

Investigator:

Damon M. Centola, Ph.D.

If at any time you have questions regarding the study or your participation, please email to: dcentola@asc.upenn.edu.

Subject's Statement:

This study has been explained to me. I am least 18 years old and I volunteer to take part in this study. If I have questions about the research, I can ask the investigators listed above.

If you decide to participate, you may wish to print this consent form or save it on your computer, for your records.