Research participation: Current opportunities

Current studies are listed below. There is an associated email list and Essex users can register on the "participants" list.

If you are not a member of staff or a student at the University of Essex and wish to be added to the email list, or if you are seeking participants and would like to add your research to this page, please contact us.

Take part in a research project

Understanding languages choices for bilingual families with children with developmental conditions

Information about the study

In this study a group of researchers from the University of Edinburgh and the University of Essex are running a project on understanding the language choices of bilingual/multilingual families with children with developmental conditions. Specifically, we are looking for bilingual or multilingual parents or carers based in the UK, who have at least one child with a neurodevelopmental condition (e.g., autism, ADHD, learning disability, etc).In this study we aim to answer the following questions:

  • How bilingual families use their languages with their child/children who have a neurodevelopmental condition
  • Why parents decide whether to use one or more languages with their child/children who have a neurodevelopmental condition
  • Whether the COVID-19 lockdowns have changed parents’ language use with their child/children who have a neurodevelopmental condition

Eligibility/criteria for taking part

UK-based bilingual/multilingual parents of children with neurodevelopmental conditions (e.g., autism, ADHD, learning disability, etc.)What the participants have to do

In this study, your child will play a game on the computer, while information from brain waves is measured by a fancy cap. You will receive a £15 Amazon voucher for your time and each child will receive a toy prize as a thank you for participating.

What the participants have to do

Fill in an online survey (it takes 10-30 minutes to complete depending on the number of children they have)

How do participants take part and who should they contact

Participants take part online by filling in a brief survey. If they have any questions, they can email Draško Kašćelan at d.kascelan@essex.ac.uk 

Ethical approval

Ethical approval has been received from the University of Edinburgh, PPLS ethics approval 22-2122/2 

Data collection period

Until 30 June 2023

Sexual Arousal Patterns of Women and Men: A Test of Alternative Hypotheses

Information about the study

Women’s sexuality is understudied, and it was only recently acknowledged that it is profoundly different to men’s sexuality. Therefore, one of the key aims of our research is to understand the nature of their sexual arousal patterns. Your participation will therefore help us in gaining knowledge about sex differences in arousal patterns and whether women’s arousal patterns may be influenced by cognitive and evolutionary factors. This study will examine how sexual arousal patterns may be influenced by cognitive and evolutionary factors and will also explore sex differences in arousal. In women only, lubrication will also be investigated. This study will also examine how well a nonintrusive measure of sexual arousal, pupil dilation, reflects people’s genital responses to sexually explicit videos of men and women. 

Eligibility/criteria for taking part

We are especially looking for homosexual (lesbian) women, and bisexual and homosexual (gay) men to take part.

What the participants have to do

 Women will be asked to attend a 2 hour and 30-minute experiment in the lab at the Department of Psychology at the University of Essex in Colchester and will receive £60 compensation for completing the experiment. Men will be asked to attend a 1 hour and 30-minute experiment in the lab and will receive £30 compensation. In the lab, in a private room we will monitor your eye-movements, using a specially adapted camera and an infrared eye-tracking device. You will view several videos on the screen, some of which are sexually explicit. With your permission, your genital arousal to the videos will be measured in addition to your eye movements. We will instruct you on how to place the measurement device and you will insert the device privately. For women only, lubrication will also be measured separately to same videos described above.

How do participants take part and who should they contact

 Please email sexlab@essex.ac.uk for more information

Funding

This project is funded by SeNSS DTP and the American Institute of Bisexuality.

Ethical approval

This project was reviewed by University of Essex Ethics Sub-Committee 1 who gave a favourable opinion for the study. ETH2223-0170

Data collection period:

Until August 2023

Disaggregating BAME: The ‘subalternation’ of Black African international students and their experiences at UK universities. A comparative study on the experiences of Black African Home domiciled and International students.

Information about the study

This research focuses on the disaggregation of the Black students’ experience at UK universities, with a focus on how the experiences of international students are shaped and represented in guidance documents provided by higher education institutions and organisations. This research will also compare the experiences of Black African UK-domiciled students to highlight specific areas of similarities and variations between Black African students. The study will gather qualitative data from Black African International and Home students of all degree levels at the University of Essex on their lived experiences. The themes explored in this paper include the sense of belonging, experiences of discrimination and racism, and financial anxiety.

Eligibility/criteria for taking part

Students who identify as Black African 

What the participants have to do?

Take part in an interview, lasting approximately between 1 hour-1.5 hours. Students will receive a £15 Amazon voucher upon completion of the interviews.

How do participants take part and who should they contact?

Participants who wish to take part can contact Precious Ogbonna, ISER PhD student via email (po22349@essex.ac.uk)

Funding

This research is funded by the university of Essex

Ethical approval

This project was reviewed by the Departmental Ethics Officer on behalf of the Ethics Sub-Committee 1 who gave a favourable opinion for the study. ERAMS project number ETH2223-0593

Data collection period

The data collection period as stated in the Ethics Approval is until 31 December 2025

Get in touch
Beverley Pascoe Research Governance Officer