SECTION 1
You are invited to take part in a research study. Before you decide, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. Please ask if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information. Take time to decide whether you wish to take part.
1. What is the purpose of the research?
The purpose of this research is to investigate how perceived influencer authenticity affects purchase intentions among Generation Z and Millennial consumers in the United Kingdom and the United States. The study focuses on consumers who have experience viewing content posted by social media influencers.
2. Why have I been invited to take part?
You have been invited because this research is specifically concerned with adult Generation Z and Millennial consumers living in the United Kingdom or the United States who have experience viewing social media influencer content.
3. Do I have to take part?
No. Taking part is entirely voluntary. You are free to decide whether to participate. Choosing not to participate will not result in any disadvantage or penalty.
4. What will I have to do?
If you choose to participate, you will complete an online questionnaire using SurveyMonkey. The questionnaire asks about your experience with social media influencers, your perceptions of influencer authenticity, and your purchase intentions in relation to influencer recommendations. You will also be asked a small number of demographic questions.
The questionnaire is expected to take approximately 5–7 minutes to complete.
5. Are there any risks or disadvantages to taking part?
No significant risks or disadvantages are anticipated from taking part in this online questionnaire. Some questions ask about your views of social media influencers and purchasing intentions. You may choose not to answer a question where the survey design allows this, and you may stop participating before submitting your responses.
6. Are there any benefits to taking part?
There is no direct personal benefit expected from taking part. Your responses may help contribute to understanding the relationship between perceived influencer authenticity and purchase intentions among Generation Z and Millennial consumers in the UK and USA.
7. Data Protection and Confidentiality
Will my participation be confidential or anonymous?
The study is designed to avoid collecting direct identifying information such as your name, email address, telephone number, or social-media username. Responses will be used for the purposes of this MSc dissertation and reported in an aggregated form.
The researcher will check and configure the SurveyMonkey settings before data collection to minimise the collection of identifying information. The final ethics application will describe the data collected and the applicable SurveyMonkey settings.
8. How will my data be stored and protected?
Research data will be stored securely and accessed only by the researcher and authorised persons where required for research governance or audit purposes. Data will be handled in accordance with Middlesex University requirements and applicable data protection requirements.
9. How will the results be used?
The questionnaire responses will be analysed as part of the student's MSc dissertation. The findings may be included in the dissertation and may be used in academic reporting or publication in a form that does not identify individual participants.
10. Who has reviewed the study?
This study will be reviewed by the relevant Middlesex University Research Ethics Committee as part of the university's research ethics approva
