Hello Everyone, Please take our online survey about the connections between online gaming and self-image. We are researching gamers, such as yourselves, and their self-image. We need to hear from you, REAL GAMERS, in order for this to work out. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between self-image and online game play. This study will consist of around 200 surveys from people around the United States. As a result, you play a very important role in our study. We assure you that your participation will directly contribute to the growing body of research on the social behavior of online gaming. The phases of this study were designed — and will be conducted — by Robert Campbell, Jacob Hogshead, Stephanie Blalock, and Christie Medley, students at Tennessee Technological University. Furthermore, this study has been formally approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Tennessee Tech University. The survey will consist of about 20 questions. Since your participation in this interview is completely voluntary, you have the right to decline to answer any questions without penalty. All of the information you provide us with will be completely confidential. Furthermore, we guarantee you complete anonymity in the reporting of this research. That is, at no point will any written or oral report from this study include any identifying information or specific reference to you. You will receive no incentives for participating in this study. If you have questions at any time about the study, you may contact Robert Campbell by email at ra.campbell@outlook.com. If you have questions about your rights as a participant, please contact the Tennessee Tech University Office of Research at (931) 372-3374. By clicking "Agree" below, you are acknowledging that (1) you are over the age of 18, (2) you understand your rights as a participant, and (3) you understand and accept the conditions of the survey. https://tntechsociology.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3DelaQEZ4zxEKfb
So, I'll be the first to respond with my general opinion of the survey concept directed towards gamers. How would this specifically apply to gamers verses any other hobby? lets pretend for a moment it's restoring a car and being part of a car collector club: How many hours do you spend working on cars other than restoring your car? How often do you work on restoring your car? What type of car do you prefer to restore? Do you feel like a person of worth when compared to others? Do you feel positive about yourself? Do you feel useless at times? Do you feel you have a number of good qualities? Do the modifications on your car reflect your self image? (Modded after my style and taste) Does the work you put into your car reflect positive traits and skills? (patience, perseverance, etc.) Is the work done restoring my car an important asset to me being in the car club? Do other people in the car club give me helpful advice? Do I find it easier to talk sensitive matters with members of the car club where I have something in common? Do I prefer to talk with members of that car club, rather than strangers? Have I met friends in the club that support me? Do I take pride in the competitions that my restored car has won? About the progress made on my car? Do I feel worthwhile when I complete the restoration of a car? Do I feel like I accomplished something when I complete a goal on the restoration of a vehicle? Do I feel good when others compliment my skills and accomplishments? The underlined ones really should/would have little to do with ones hobby. It's almost as if they are the real questions being asked as opposed to the others that could be applied to any leisure activity that involves the participation of others. I guess I'm just curious as to the reason gamers were selected and not some other group? Was it convenience or designed to draw a theory about the profile of gamers?
Hiya, Griff has brought up some valid questions. I would also like to know where this study falls in this arena. That being said, I have read many things and often wondered about "cause" and "effect" of gaming on individuals and kids. Having been a gamer for years where exactly do my opinions reside on the matter ? Well, that is entirly different study isn't it. lol My issue with this questionnaire is not exactly with the questions that were asked but with the one's that weren't. I don't believe you have asked a couple of pertinent ones that would change the outcome entirely. Gaming is viewed as an entertainment by the general population but for a great many people it is way more then that. For instance, being involved in this environment and having it available to me has often kept me from beating my head against a wall. Of course it has also been the cause of it as well. (figuratively) lol. So to be a little more clear here; I have Bipolar Disorder. I am not ashamed of it. I live with it and I deal with it. But just this here would make my answers to your questions be made for different reasons than someone else. But you would view my answers as if there were nothing else factoring in an most likely blame or praise the gaming entirely for my response instead of just a portion of it. Therefore; I recommend you add a couple more pertinent questions before you really submit this too us. Like; "Have you been diagnosed with a physical or mental issue?" something like that. etc. Just one or two questions added. You don't need to ask what those issues are. But they would make a world of difference to the outcome of your study. If this happens I would at that time be happy to take part. I would love for the world to see a positive side to all of this.
Thats should have been all I had to say, since I am highly sceptical of online surveys to begin with.
When first reading this I was somewhat excited and felt like potentially suggesting this survey to some of my friends to support them, since Tech is my alma mater. After looking at the survey questions, however I'm seriously disappointed almost to the point of being ashamed to say the people who are conducting this survey are from my old school. To be fair, I'm no sociologist, I took a couple classes just because they were interesting, so I'm not sure how the results of questionnaires are interpreted or how these questionnaires are designed. I can say though that these questions, the structure of the questionnaire, and the choice to post it all over the internet seems poorly thought through, imo. The questions seem to have little to do with gaming specifically with the exception of a couple, and moreover I cant imagine how they would draw conclusions from some of these, for example "I feel useless at times" or "I take a positive attitude towards myself". Do they expect to see a general trend in all of gamers that they either do or don't feel useless, or that they do or do not have a positive attitude towards themselves? If so will they conclude that this is related to gaming? Drawing this conclusion would not be science. This goes back to the old "correlation implies causation" fallacy which it seems they have set themselves up for with quite a few of the questions. That is if they can even attempt to correlate any trends in answers with gamers. Just the fact that they are preferentially presenting this survey to the gaming community skews the results and likely destroys any chance of drawing any real conclusions that relating with any level of confidence. I would expect more out of even undergraduate level research (which I can only assume this is). In addition, making this survey available to be taken any times further skews the potential data, and posting it on numerous gaming forums just opens them up for trolling. I'm not impressed, and I'm surprised the survey made it through whatever process it had to pass through to make it to the public....
