What Can I Expect from Participating in The Friendship Pathways Study?

Screening

We screen our participants to ensure safety and improve our data. If you pass the online pre-screening survey, a researcher will call you to ask more questions to see if you’re fully eligible for the study.

Session I

If you’re eligible, a researcher will review details of the study with you during an on-site session in our laboratory space in Howell Hall. The researcher will collect vitals from you and will have you complete a short, recorded interview as the first part of the social task.

Session II

You and another participant will come to the UNC medical campus, where we’ll collect data about your:

Brain: During the second part of the social task, you may get a brain scan. The MRI scanner will take images of your brain while you watch a screen.

Body: Your blood carries lots of information about how your immune system is functioning, so we’ll take a few blood samples. You’ll also be given a single dose of an FDA-approved medication, propranolol, or a placebo (control) pill so we can see how changes to the communication pathway between the brain and immune system affect the body’s response to meeting new people and forming first impressions. You’ll also have some sensors placed on your neck, chest, and torso, which will give us information about your heart, lungs, and skin during the social task. 

Mind: Over the course of the day, you’ll complete about 60 minutes of questionnaires about things such as your mood, health, emotions, and habits. 

Session III

If you have questions about the Friendship Pathways Study, you can email friendshippathways@unc.edu or call (919) 299-3061. 

If you have questions about your rights as a research participant, you can contact the Institutional Review Board at (919)-966-3113 or IRB_subjects@unc.edu.