ESP Study at Liverpool Hope University

Aesthetic Preference, Subliminal Perception and ESP Study

Researchers at Liverpool Hope University in the UK are studying processes that affect people’s preferences for visual images. In total, the study takes approximately 90 minutes to complete. Prior to coming to the scheduled experimental session, you will complete a personal information questionnaire which includes a short battery of questions about your experiences and attitudes. This part of the experiment will take approximately 30 minutes to complete.

At the experimental session, the first part of your participation will be administered by a computer. The second part of your participation will consist of the completion of the NEO-PI personality inventory. This part of the experiment will take approximately 60 minutes to complete.

At the experimental session, you will be asked to watch the screen as pictures are flashed very briefly, and then asked to rate how well you like a series of pictures.

The pictures range from marginally negative to pleasant, and none contain explicit sexual content. The marginally negative pictures are no different to being exposed to images that one might see on the television (e.g., in the news).

By signing up and coming to the laboratory at the appointed time, you are only giving your initial consent to participate in the study. You are free to withdraw your participation at any time without any penalty – even after the study has begun.

The hypotheses of the study will be fully explained to you as soon as you complete your session. The identity of your data will be kept confidential, and only group results will be reported.

To thank you for your time, and to cover refreshment expenses we will pay each participant £5.00.

Please contact Christine Simmonds-Moore at simmonc@hope.ac.uk or (0151) 291 2158 if you would like to take part in this study.