This research is intended to examine people's maintenance behaviors for online friendships and their links to various relational and media factors. The purpose of this study is to discover how people feel about their friendships initiated and developed on the Internet and the types of behavior that they use to keep these relationships in a satisfactory condition. It should take you about 15-20 minutes to complete. These are no right and wrong answers. I would like you to share your experience honestly and completely.
There are no risks in participating in this study. Although you will probably not receive any direct benefits from participating in this research, your participation may help researchers understand more about people's online relational interactions. Your participation is voluntary. You may refuse to participate, you may choose to stop at any time, and you may decline to answer any specific question without penalty. Your responses will be confidential. The questionnaire will be identified by number (no IP address will be tracked). The raw data will be protected by using a password. Only the researchers will have access to the original data. In addition, the numerical data will be presented in aggregate form, and no identifying information will be reported. If you have any questions about this study or are interested in the result of the study, you may contact Jiali Ye of the Department of Communication at 404-463-0570 and by email jye@gsu.edu, or Dr. Jaye Atkinson at 404-651-3491 and by email jla@gsu.edu. If you have questions about your rights as a participant in research, you can contact Susan Vogtner in the Office of Research Integrity at Georgia State University at 404-463-0674. You must be at least 18 years old. If you agree to participate in the study, please click the button "agree." Thank you!
