Frequently Asked Questions
What is CogTracerTM for?
CogTracer is intended for use by anyone who may have been exposed to an infectious disease, like COVID-19. It is a web-based self-led contact tracing interview based in the science of memory. It is designed to help you remember who you had contact with. Often people think that if they just try to remember their contacts they will be able to do so successfully, but actually it's easy to forget people. However, just because you don't remember at first doesn't mean you can't remember. CogTracer should help you to remember.
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Has CogTracerTM been tested?
Yes! CogTracer resulted in a substantial (50%!) increase in the number of contacts reported. The peer-reviewed paper is available for free here.
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What information will I need to enter?
None! Just write down your contacts. We won't ask you to enter anything.
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How much does it cost?
CogTracer is free to use.
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What language is CogTracer available in?
CogTracer is available in English, Spanish, Swedish and Portuguese. A Korean version will be available soon.
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How long will it take?
Approximately 30 minutes. However, it will depend on how many contacts you have had.
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Who will have access to my information?
You will not provide any information.
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Why is contact tracing important?
Contact tracing first involves recalling who you had contact with while potentially infectious - meaning determining who you may have infected - and then reaching out to those people so they can self-quarantine and get tested. This will stop them from potentially spreading a disease to others by warning them that they might be infected. CogTracer helps with the memory part of this process.
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What should I do after I finish CogTracer?
Depending on where you live, you may get a call from the health department asking who you had contact with. You can share your list of contacts with them. Or, you may want to reach out to your contacts on your own. If you reach out to your contacts, this information from the CDC may be useful.
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What should I do if I have feedback on the CogTracer?
We would love your feedback! Please just click here to share your feedback.
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Who developed CogTracer?
A team of research psychologists with expertise in memory, cognition, and investigative interviewing. Their research has been supported by Florida International University, Iowa State University, the National Science Foundation, and Mark and Wendy Stavish. Any and all statements made on the CogTracer website or CogTracer tool are the opinions of the CogTracer developers. They do not reflect the official policy or position of these, or any other, entities that have supported the researchers.
How do I get started?
Just click here!
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