Research Participation Request: Understanding non-verbal cues in communication between blind and sighted people

The below research participant solicitation is being provided for informational purposes only. The National Federation of the Blind has no involvement in this research, but we believe that it may contribute to our research mission.

Research Title: Understanding non-verbal cues in communication between blind and sighted people

Being conducted by: University of Maryland

Purpose of the Study

Non-verbal cues, such as nodding heads or waving hands, are naturally involved in people’s interactions. However, the way these non-verbal cues are understood can vary widely, with blind and sighted individuals interpreting the same hand gesture in different ways. This difference motivates our research, which aims to explore how communication between blind and sighted individuals may be influenced by nonverbal cues.

To address this research goal, we developed two surveys: one for blind individuals and one for sighted individuals. Each survey focuses on either online interactions or in-person communications depending on participants’ choices. We recognize that people may communicate differently in these two contexts, and if nonverbal cues do indeed affect interactions, we hope to identify strategies to support effective communication for all parties. Ultimately, these surveys will help us determine whether nonverbal cues influence interactions in both in-person and remote settings for sighted and blind conversation parties.

Role of the Participants and Anticipated Length of the Study

All participants are expected to complete a survey. Each survey contains 50 questions and 10 open-ended items, divided into three sections which are demographic section, in-person communication section and remote communication section. The number of questions a participant answers may vary depending on the specific sections they choose to answer within the survey. After completing and submitting the survey, participants will be prompted to provide an email address to receive their $10 compensation.

Proposed Participant Compensation

Yes, Both sighted and blind participants who successfully complete and submit the survey will receive a $10 e-gift card via email.

Link or Instructions for Participants to Enter the Study

Blind participants:

https://umdsurvey.umd.edu/jfe/form/SV_bHGJpk4R9I5ZtKC 

Sighted participants:

https://umdsurvey.umd.edu/jfe/form/SV_0pj7v5hUMJwnD0O

Contact the following individual with any questions

Jiasheng Li

540-449-5363

jsli@umd.edu