A questionnaire concerning virtual communities

[rafmodz]

Hello!
I would be enormously grateful for answering he following questionnaire in this thread. It shall be used to gather qualitative and quantitative data required for an MA thesis concerned with forming identity and community in cyberspace. This thesis shall be published by the University of Bialystok (Uniwersytet w Bia).

Questionnaire:

1) Do you feel that your relationship with other participants of this forum is intimate and special?
2) Do you feel a desire for companionship of other participants of this forum?
3) Are you interested in being on this forum as frequently as reasonably possible?
4) For how long are you an active participant of this forum?
5) Do you feel a sense of mutuality in your relationship with other participants of this forum?
6) Do you know and support the needs of your discussion partners on this forum?
7) Do you have the sense or evidence that intimacy is bolstered by shared social characteristics such as gender/socio-economic status/lifestyle etc?
8) Would you say that the ideas central to this forum play a significant role in forming your identity?
9) Would you call yourself a book lover/a book worm? If not, is there any other name that you would use in association with the central ideas of this forum?
10) Do you think that you identify with this group more than with the society/nation you are a member of?



This questionnaire is anonymous, no revealing information will ever be published. Every participant may withhold his/her consent at any time. If you do not wish your answers to be public, please send me a private message via this forum. Any additional commentary to this questionnaire is more than welcome.

Thank you for participating!

 

[Polly Parrot]

Who are you, then?

 

[beer good]

It shall be used to gather qualitative and quantitative data required for an MA thesis concerned with forming identity and community in cyberspace.

I very much doubt that.

 

[Peder]

Hello!
I would be enormously grateful for answering he following questionnaire in this thread. It shall be used to gather qualitative and quantitative data required for an MA thesis concerned with forming identity and community in cyberspace.

Hi Rafmodz,
Though I don't especially doubt your sincerity, I don't think an MA dissertation will fall into your hands as easily as just posting a list of questions and expecting answers from people whom you don't know and who don't know you. Anyone can think up any number of questions and post them scattershot.
Honest answers from people in a forum where you are already a member of some duration and standing are what you should be looking for, in my opinion.
Perhaps some day you could be so kind as to report back and let us know how things worked out.
Have a good day,
Peder

 

[rafmodz]

Hello Peder!
I'm genuinely grateful for your interest and comments. Well, I am a student conducting research for the purpose of an MA thesis. I cannot, however, reveal the thesis itself or the methodology of the study, because that would invalidate the study itself. Incidentally, I am a book reader as well, however I have never joined an Internet forum on that topic.

I know that some of these questions might seem private but it is possible to answer privately, and an important part of the study is the protection of the participant's identity.
Best wishes,
rafmodz

 

[Lovecraftian]

1) Do you feel that your relationship with other participants of this forum is intimate and special?

Some of them. The ones who aren’t hard heads, sure.

2) Do you feel a desire for companionship of other participants of this forum?

Same as above.

3) Are you interested in being on this forum as frequently as reasonably possible?

Sure.

4) For how long are you an active participant of this forum?

About a month now.

5) Do you feel a sense of mutuality in your relationship with other participants of this forum?

Yup, we’re all readers.

6) Do you know and support the needs of your discussion partners on this forum?

Always. I won’t talk about what I don’t know unless it’s clearly a question and not an answer.

7) Do you have the sense or evidence that intimacy is bolstered by shared social characteristics such as gender/socio-economic status/lifestyle etc?

At times, sure.

8) Would you say that the ideas central to this forum play a significant role in forming your identity?

No. I yam what I yam.

9) Would you call yourself a book lover/a book worm? If not, is there any other name that you would use in association with the central ideas of this forum?

Yea, book lover for sure.

10) Do you think that you identify with this group more than with the society/nation you are a member of?

Oh yes. No question there.

 

[Peder]

I cannot, however, reveal the thesis itself or the methodology of the study, because that would invalidate the study itself.

I can understand that entirely and I certainly endorse proper polling methodology. The issue is with answering questions to people of unknown credentials. You are not the first to approach this forum with a questionnaire and I can well imagine there are many others who look at the Internet and see a vast opportunity for their enterprises and schemes.

Incidentally, I am a book reader as well, however I have never joined an Internet forum on that topic.

Why not? That's not a ringing endorsement for your interest in your own questionnaire. My suggestion would be to join as many forums as possible to experience the huge variety of forum "personalities" that exist. Every forum has its own personality, which you will only capture by participating.

I know that some of these questions might seem private but it is possible to answer privately, and an important part of the study is the protection of the participant's identity.

I respect your intention but I doubt very much the general truth of your statement. I have had very sad experiience with privacy on the Internet, where I took steps to assure my privacy and thought my privacy would be respected. I found people only to glad to breach it and make me publicly known across many forums. Again, I think you need more personal experience to appreciate the full extent and nuances of the topic about which you are asking questions.

On the flip side, I too think that interpersonal and community relations on the Internet are topics that are worthy of investigation. My experience tells me that people behave differently online than they do face to face and, also, that the dynamic is therefore different than any that has been seen before. And it is not necessarily for the better. I would be very much interested in seeing a serious treatment of the topic.
Best wishes with your MA,
Then come join the fun,
Sincerely
Peder

 

[rafmodz]

Why not? That's not a ringing endorsement for your interest in your own questionnaire. My suggestion would be to join as many forums as possible to experience the huge variety of forum "personalities" that exist. Every forum has its own personality, which you will only capture by participating.

Actually, I have been a member of several forums and a moderator of two of them, I still am a member of one that is particularly to my liking (and interest). Generally, I would agree with what you were saying, but my interest in this topic as a scientific pursuit has been sparked by an active participation on discussion forums, not the other way round. Still, I'd rather conduct research on those, I was not an active member of. Perhaps this demonstrates my subconscious lack of belief in Internet privacy. However, anthropological research, (and the Internet can, and it is my conviction, be researched in a manner similar to foreign cultures) is usually conducted on “uncharted territories”. Or at least I would say that it is the area where research is worth conducting.

But again, I cannot reveal too much now, however if you, or anyone else for that matter, is interested in the methodology of this particular study, I will happily talk about it a bit more upon its completion.

On the flip side, I too think that interpersonal and community relations on the Internet are topics that are worthy of investigation. My experience tells me that people behave differently online than they do face to face and, also, that the dynamic is therefore different than any that has been seen before. And it is not necessarily for the better. I would be very much interested in seeing a serious treatment of the topic.

To be honest, I hope that my MA thesis will encourage some people to let me conduct research on a grander scale, with more resources and manpower(perhaps more rigour). What we are seeing and participating in on the Internet is the cutting edge of interpersonal experiences. As you pointed out, not necessarily for the better at all times and instances. Either way, I find it immensely fascinating and cannot wait to see what will come out of it.

Anyway, I'm enjoying our exchange, and I hope that the feelings are mutual, so perhaps you'll be having a new member on board, as reading is a great hobby of mine (non-fiction mostly, which has to mean that I am an absolute bore). I also enjoy critical examination of my methodology. It might require improvement, and any intelligent or observant suggestions might be helpful, though my supervisors have not seen major flaws or errors in it.

Have a great evening!

 

[Peder]

Rafmodz
I wish you well with your larger goals.
Sincerely,
Peder