DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

Human Sciences Building

Floor 6, 10 Symonds St
Auckland, New Zealand
Telephone 64 9 373 7599 ext. 87561
Facsimile 64 9 373 7450
The University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019
Auckland, New Zealand

PARTICIPANT INFORMATION SHEET

VIEWS ON PUBIC HAIR

Researchers: Dr Virginia Braun, Gemma Tricklebank & Dr Victoria Clarke

Researcher introduction

Hello! We are Dr Virginia Braun, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at The University
of Auckland, New Zealand, and Gemma Tricklebank, an Honours student in the same department,
whose dissertation research is supervised by Dr Braun. The research is also being conducted with Dr
Victoria Clarke, a Reader in Sexuality Studies in the Department of Psychology at the University of
the West of England, Bristol.

Project description and invitation

We are undertaking research in order to gain understanding of people’s perceptions of pubic hair
and pubic hair removal. This topic is relevant to understanding people’s sexual and reproductive
health more fully. We would like to invite you to take part in our research! This would involve
completing a qualitative survey (where you write the answers to questions in your own words, rather
than ticking boxes). The survey is about your views related to pubic hair and pubic hair removal.
Pubic hair is the hair that grows around the genital/groin/crotch region, in adolescents and adults.

The data you provide would be entirely anonymous.

Project procedures

The survey consists of a series of questions related to pubic hair and its removal in general, and then
two sets of specific questions, one related to women and one to men. We want to understand what
you think and why you think that about pubic hair. The survey is not about your own practices or
experiences, although you can include these if relevant to the question. There are no right answers –
we are interested in the range of opinions and thoughts that people have. You can write as little or
as much as you desire (additional space is provided if you run out of space). We want you to write
your views, in your own words.

At the end of the survey are some quantitative demographic and behavioural questions for you to
answer, some of which do ask you about your own practices around pubic hair removal. We’re
asking these questions so we can gain a sense of who is taking part in the research, and the range of
practices that are engaged in. The whole thing should take no more than 30 minutes to complete.

Participation is entirely voluntary (you can change your mind about taking part after being handed
the survey, if you wish). If you choose to participate, you will be given a copy of the survey (by
Gemma Tricklebank), with instructions on how to complete, and return, it. Depending on
circumstances, you will either be handed a hard copy of the survey, or emailed an electronic version,
which you can either complete electronically, or print out and complete in hard copy. (NB: as there is
some drawing involved, not everyone will be able to complete the electronic version).

There is no formal consent process in this research. Completing and returning the survey will be
taken as an indication that you consent to take part in this research. It will also be taken as an
indication that you are over the age of 16, which are you are required to be to take part.

Use of data

The data gathered will be analysed using qualitative methodologies, to explore the patterns and
meanings across responses and answer our questions about pubic hair and pubic hair removal.
Extracts of data may be anonymously quoted in publications arising from this project (e.g.,
presentations at conferences, scholarly articles, chapters etc), as well as in Gemma Tricklebank’s
dissertation. The data may be linked to some demographic response categories (e.g., male, 30s), but
not in a way that could reveal your identity as a participant. The demographic data for all of the
participants will be compiled into a table and reported in any publications or presentations arising
from the research.

Victoria Clarke and Virginia Braun also have an ongoing interest in innovative qualitative research
methodologies, and so some use of the data extracts may relate to publications about methodology,
rather than about the topic per se.

Agreeing to take part in this research (returning the completed survey) means that you agree to this
use of the information you provide.

Data storage/retention/destruction/future use

All collated data will be entered into computer files, and the hard copies will also be retained. The
data will be retained for a minimum of 6 years, and for as long as all interest in the project
continues. Once these stages have passed, the computer files will then be deleted, and hard copies
shredded.

Right to withdraw from participation

You will not be able to withdraw your data once you have returned a completed survey, because
once we have received a survey, there will be nothing linking you to your responses (the surveys are
not coded in a way which links them to a particular participant). Returning the completed survey
indicates your consenting to take part, with no right to withdraw after that period.

Anonymity and confidentiality

Issues around anonymity and confidentiality are very important. Although the information that you
provide in the survey is anonymous, because we don’t link it to you as a participant, your
participation in the research is potentially known, if you choose to return your survey using one of
the methods which does not ensure anonymity (as specified on the survey). It is up to you how you
choose to return the survey, and whether you wish to ensure your participation is unknown to us.
Even if your participation is known, we will not link your responses to you in any way, and beyond
the moments of information return, your survey will become one of many that could have come
from any respondent.

Any quoting of extracts of data which you (may) have provided will be done in an anonymous
fashion, as noted above.

Are there any risks in taking part?

We don’t anticipate any particular risks with participating in this research – indeed, we hope you will
find completing the survey an interesting experience. However, there is always the potential for
research participation to unexpectedly raise uncomfortable or distressing issues. If you do feel
distressed after taking part, various agencies can provide support, including:

Youthline: http://www.youthline.co.nz/ 0800-376-633

Lifeline: http://www.lifeline.org.nz/default.aspx 09-5222-999 or 0800-543-354

Additional services can be found by searching for helplines in the yellow pages: www.yellow.co.nz

If you are a student, you can also access services through the University Student Health Service.

For a good source of information about female genitalia, see http://www.vaginaverite.com.

If you happen to be a student in the Department of Psychology, your participation (or non-
participation) in this project will not be known to any member of staff (unless you choose to tell
them) and will affect neither your grades nor your academic relationships with staff.

We hope you will be interested in taking part in this survey! If you have any questions before
participating, please ask Gemma Tricklebank or Virginia Braun. Thank you!

Contact Details

Researcher contacts:
Dr Virginia Braun Gemma Tricklebank
Email: v.braun@auckland.ac.nz Email: pubichairsurvey@gmail.com
Telephone: 3737599 x87561

The Head of Department of Psychology is Professor Fred Seymour

Email: f.seymour@auckland.ac.nz
Telephone 3737599 x88414

For any queries regarding ethical concerns you may contact the Chair, The University of Auckland
Human Participants Ethics Committee, The University of Auckland, Office of the Vice Chancellor,
Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142. Telephone 09 373-7599 extn. 83711.

APPROVED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND HUMAN PARTICIPANTS ETHICS COMMITTEE ON 21

APRIL 2010, FOR A PERIOD OF 3 YEARS. REFERENCE NUMBER 2010/110.