Middle Tennessee State University grad student Michelle Drury needs your help. She’s currently collecting data as part of a study on gamers of all sorts, and needs a lot of participants to make it a success. Whether your passion is MMORPGs, tabletop roleplaying or collectible card games, Drury would really appreciate your participation. It only takes a minute to sign up, and you can run through the personality test in maybe half an hour. All of the results are confidential, and you get a free analysis of your results. This is a great opportunity to shed some light on an often misunderstood hobby, as well as to help out Drury, a fellow gamer.
I recently spoke with Drury about her study, and here’s what she said to say:
Tell me about yourself. Where are you in school? What are you studying? How did you choose that field?
I am an avid gamer of all things non-electronic (old school D&D is my game; CCGs second to that). I am getting my 5th degree and 2nd Master’s in Experimental Psychology at Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN (Near Nashville). I chose the field because I love research, I love psychology, and I love academia. And, I’m old.
What are you doing this survey for, and how long will you be conducting it?
This survey is for my 2nd Master’s Thesis. This research started in 2009. I have to finish in about a month or two. So, jump to it! Every little bit of word of mouth/forum assistance is truly appreciated. I am lacking in old school gamers…I have a ton of PC/Console gamer data. Let’s show those kids!
What do you hope to learn?
It isn’t me that needs to learn from this…I live the lifestyle. It’s the media and the research community in general that get something out of this research. Gaming gets vilified regularly: violence, poor grades, Satanism, etc. I am here to defend gaming, gamers, and try to correct some of this negative press! Gaming can be beneficial. Gaming can be therapeutic. Gaming is a culture of its own and deserves more positive recognition.
How did you get interested in this topic? Are you a gamer yourself?
I’ve been a gamer for over 30 years.
Why should people participate?
Why shouldn’t they? We’re gamers. We should stand up for our lifestyles and hobby. Help me do that by participating.
Where’s the link?
As a freelancer in the table-top RPG industry, I’m happy to help. I agree with Michelle and am posting this to the Women in Gaming Google+ circle a bunch of us are part of and the pertinent Facebook pages I administer.
Having previously lived in middle Tennessee (and even having taken a couple of night classes at MTSU), I’m especially delighted to help her out!
Vickey
In the survey, you ask about which games the taker plays, you have do not have non-strategy/war board games and non-CCG card games.
Also when asking how often the person goes to his/her local gaming store, you failed to mention the option of a few times a year or yearly.
Too bad some questions are a bit wonky and there’s no precision anywhere. Like “how many friends do you have?” What kind of friends? Close ones, acquaintances, comrades? “First name basis people” or “hide the body pals” ?
[...] Calling All Gamers: Help A Grad Student Out asks gamers of all stripes to fill out a personality survey for fellow gamer Michelle Drury’s Master’s Thesis in Experimental Psychology. It comes with a free analysis of your responses, but it ends soon. [...]