Just War

Prolific Participants: Click the button to download the game. After the game, you will be redirected to a survey where you can enter your prolific ID. You must complete the survey and the game to complete the task. 

15 Minutes

Description: 

Just War is a research project, using an interactive fiction narrative, to conduct research on decisions in war. You play as the leader of a country on the brink of war. You will face ethical choices: finding a balance between your civilian's safety, your military strength, and your own moral compass. 

NOTE: The game includes a link at the end to submit survey results. You must answer the brief questions on that link and click submit results to fully finish the survey. 

PARTICIPANT INFORMATION SHEET

1.      Introductory paragraph

You are being invited to take part in a research project. 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. Ask us 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.

2.      Why is this research being conducted?

This study aims to understand the social, emotional, and political implications of technology usage in conflict scenarios.

3.      Why have I been invited to take part?

You are being invited to take part because you are eighteen and over and expressed interest in participating.

4.      Do I have to take part?

No. It is up to you to decide whether to take part. You can withdraw yourself from the research, without giving a reason by not submitting this survey at the end of the survey. You will receive a page warning you that this is the final chance to withdraw. All survey answers will be anonymized.

5.      What will happen to me if I take part in the research?

This survey will be conducted on this platform. By choosing to submit your results to the survey, you will be giving consent for the anonymized data to be used in this project and published in a journal article. 

This survey will cover sensitive topics through fictional depictions of war and conflict, set in a hypothetical universe. There will be written material on war, conflict, violence, death, and war crimes. If you do not wish to participate in this survey at any point in the time, close the window. No material will be saved until you are asked and consent to submit your survey results.

There will only be one session, lasting about 20-30 minutes. If you close the tab, your progress will not be saved.

You will participate in a branching path narrative, where you will read an excerpt and be asked to choose from certain decisions – which will lead you to a different excerpt with consequences of your previous decisions included.

6.      What are the possible disadvantages and risks in taking part?

The possible disadvantages and risks are emotional discomfort or distress from the material provided. Please refer to the above trigger warnings and exit the material at any time.

7.      Are there any benefits in taking part?

There will be no direct or personal benefit to you from taking part in this research.

8.      What information will be collected and why is the collection of this information relevant for achieving the research objectives?

There will be no identifiable information stored.

Other research data will be stored for three years after publication or public release of the work of the research.

The researcher and the supervisor will have access to the research data.

We would like your permission to use this data in future studies, and to share this with other researchers (e.g. in online databases). No personal or identifiable information will be collected with the stored data.  

9.      Will the research be published? Could I be identified from any publications or other research outputs?

The findings from the research will be written up in a journal. There will be no possible way for participants to be identified from the output.

10.   Data Protection

Cavendish Labs is the data controller  with respect to your personal data, and as such will determine how your personal data is used in the research. 

11.  Who has reviewed this research?

This research has received ethics approval from the Ethics Reviewer at Cavendish Labs. 

12.  Who do I contact if I have a concern about the research or I wish to complain?

If you have a concern about any aspect of this research, please contact Sarah Chen at sarahchen@cavendishlabs and I will do your best to answer your query. I will acknowledge your concern within 10 working days and give you an indication of how it will be dealt with. If you are unsatisfied and wish to make a formal complaint, please contact the head of our Ethics Board, Derik Kauffman at derik@cavendishlabs.org.