As mentioned in a previous post (about a month ago) on Transfandom.com, I am doing a research project for a graduate level class at Valdosta State University on the shopping habits of those people who consider themselves Transformer collectors. The purpose of this study is to determine what levels are considered “normal� in the collecting community and what levels are considered abnormally compulsive. The results of this survey will be available after I am done with the research project to the various Transformer collecting fan sites, however all names will be kept confidential, and replaced with numbers in reporting results.

 

I am looking for approximately 100 volunteers for this survey. More would be appreciated, but any fewer and I feel that the effect size will be too small to obtain results of any accuracy. Volunteers will be asked to answer questions on a brief survey about their purchasing habits in regards to Transformers, and MUST be older than 18 as I do not have IRB approval to survey minors.

 

You may post your survey answers here on the board if you wish, but for confidentiality purposes, I would prefer that you email your results.

 

First though, some legal jargon I have to include…

  You are being asked to participate in a project conducted by Nigel Bradley at Valdosta State University. The University asks that you give your agreement to participate in this project.

 

  The researcher, Nigel Bradley, will explain to you in detail the purpose of the project, the procedures to be used, and the potential benefits and possible risks of participation. You may ask the researcher any questions you have to help you understand this project and your participation in it. A basic explanation of the research is given below. Please read this carefully and discuss with the researcher any questions you may have.

 

1. Title and purpose of the research: Analyzing Compulsive Shopping in Collecting Communities. Compulsive shopping is serious problem in collecting communities, but often one that is not discussed with any seriousness.

 

2. Discomfort or risks your might experience: It is not always possible to identify all potential risks in an experimental procedure. However, reasonable safeguards have been taken to minimize both the known and potential but unknown risks.

3. Benefits: It is my hope that by doing this research the results will open up discussions at to what is considered healthy and what is not.

4. Confidentiality Assurance:  All reasonable efforts will be made to keep your name and email separate from any answers that you give.

5. Right to refuse to continue: If at any time you wish to not continue with the survey, you may do so.

6. IRB contact. Any question regarding the conduct of this research or questions pertaining to your rights as a research subject, or any research-related injury should be brought to the attention of the IRB Chair by contacting 229-259-5045.

7. Signatures: No signature is needed since consent is being given by participating in the survey online.

Now, without further ado… here is the survey. If you have any questions about a particular question, please feel free to ask me. Please be as truthful and accurate in your answers as possible. When answering, please answer by using the letters A, B, C, D, or E, rather than typing the whole answer phrase out (this will save me time when I’m coding your answers).

 

Questions:

 

1. What is your age?

A. 18-20 B. 21-24 C. 25-30 D. 31-35 E. above 35

 

2. What is your gender?

A. male B. female

 

3. Which best describes your race?

A. White B. Black C. Asian D. Hispanic E. Other

 

4. What continent do you live on?

A. North America B. South America C. Europe D. Asia E. Africa F. Australia G. other

 

5. How much do you make per year?

A. less than $15,000 B. $15,001-$20,000 C. $20,001-$35,000 D. $35,001-$50,000 E. $50,001-$100,000 F. more than $100,000

 

6. How much do you spend on Transformers per month? (includes toys, comics, videos… any and all Transformer related material)

A. less than $5.00 B. $5.01-$20.00 C. $20.01-$50.00 D. $50.01-$100.00 E. $100.01-$300.00 F. $300.01-$500.00 G. more than $500.00

 

7. How many Transformers do you own that are from the Generation One series (includes all TF before G2 no matter the country, reissues, Binaltech, Alternators, etc.)? If you own more than one of the same figure, add it into the total.

A 0-10 B. 11-50 C. 51-100 D. 101-250 E. 251-500 F. more than 500

 

8. How many Transformers do you own that are from the Generation Two series (includes all TF in Generation 2 packaging no matter the country, reissues of Gen 2 figures, and Machine Wars)? If you own more than one of the same figure, add it into the total.

A 0-10 B. 11-20 C. 21-50 D. 51-100 E. 101-150 F. more than 150

 

9. How many Transformers do you own that are from the Beast Wars/Beast Machines series (includes all Beast Wars/Beast Machines toys no matter the country, reissues of Beast Wars figures, Beast Wars Neo, etc.)? If you own more than one of the same figure, add it into the total.

A. 0-10 B. 11-25 C. 26-50 D. 51-100 E. 101-200 F. more than 200

 

10. How many Transformers do you own that are from the Robots in Disguise/Universe line (includes all Transformers from the RID line no matter the country, Universe line, Robot Masters, etc.)? If you own more than one of the same figure, add it into the total.

A. 0-10 B. 11-25 C. 26-50 D. 51-100 E. 101-200 F. more than 200

 

11. How many Transformers do you own that are from the Armada-Energon-Cybertron line (includes all Transformers from the modern era of Transformers regardless of country, Superlink, etc.)? If you own more than one of the same figure, add it into the total.

A. 0-10 B. 11-50 C. 51-100 D. 101-250 E. 251-500 F. more than 500

 

12. How many Transformers do you own that are considered “exclusives�? If you own more than one of the same figure, add it into the total.

A. 0-10 B. 11-20 C. 21-50 D. 50-100 E. 100-150 F. more than 150

 

13. How many Transformers do you own that are considered “prototypes�? If you own more than one of the same figure, add it into the total.

A.  zero B. 1-5 C. 6-10 D. 11-25 E. 26-50 F. more than 50

 

14. How many Transformers do you own that are not included in the previous categories? (for example, knock-offs, PVCs, statues, etc.?) If you own more than one of the same figure, add it into the total.

A. 0-10 B. 11-25 C. 26-50 D. 51-100 E. 101-200 F. more than 200

 

15. How many Transformer videos/DVDs have you purchased (do NOT include episodes that you have recorded off of TV or downloaded)?

A. 0-5 B. 6-10 C. 11-20 D. 21-50 E. more than 50

 

16. How many Transformer comics have you purchased (do NOT include issues that you have downloaded)?

A. 0-5 B. 5-20 C. 21-50 D. 50-100 E. 100-200 F. more than 200

 

17. How many times have you purchased a Transformer “just to have it in the collection� even if you didn’t like it?

A. never B. sometimes C. every now and then D. often E. always

 

18. How many times have you had relationship problems due to your collecting habits?

A. never B. sometimes C. every now and then D. often E. always

 

19. Have you ever committed a crime (such as stealing a Transformer or money for Transformers) in order to have a Transformer?

A. yes B. no

 

20. Consider this statement: “After purchasing a Transformer, I’m happy for a little while, but then I put it away and the feeling of happiness is over.� How well would you say this statement applies to you?

A. not at all B. a little C. somewhat D. very like me E. exactly like me

 

21. Which version of Transformers do you most identify with?

A. Original Generation One. B. Generation 2/Machine Wars C. Beast Wars/Beast Machines D. Robots in Disguise E. Armada/Energon F. Cybertron

 

22. What is the most you have ever spent on one, single Transformer?

A. Below $10.00 B. $10.01-$25.00 C. $25.01-$50.00 D. $50.01-$100.00 E. $100.01-$250.00 F. $250.01-$500.00 G. more than $500.00

 

23. Consider this statement: “Sometimes when I purchase a Transformer, I feel embarrassed and hide my purchase from my family/friends.� How well would you say this statement applies to you?

A. not at all B. a little C. somewhat D. very like me E. exactly like me

 

24. Are you happy with your current life?

A. very happy B. mostly happy C. neutral D. a little depressed E. not at all

 

25. Do you feel that you need help in controlling your spending habits when it comes to collecting Transformer related items?

A. not at all B. perhaps a bit C. perhaps a lot D. very definitely

 

Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. You may post them here on this forum, but I would prefer that your answers be sent to my email address at: NigelandBecka@netzero.net Results on this survey should be available in the near future.

1. B

 

2. A

 

3. A

 

4. A

 

5. D

 

6. D

 

7. C

 

8. A

 

9. B

 

10. C

 

11. C

 

12. B

 

13. A

 

14. C

 

15. E

 

16. C

 

17. C

 

18. B

 

19. B

 

20. D

 

21. A

 

22. E

 

23. A

 

24. A

 

25. A

I have A.D.D. *forgets what this threads about.

1.  B

2.  A

3.  A

4.  A

5.  A

6.  B

7.  C

8.  C

9.  C

10. C

11. D

12. A

13. A

14. B

15. B

16. E

17. C

18. A

19. B

20. B

21. A

22. D

23. A

24. B

25. A

1. What is your age?

D. 31-35

 

2. What is your gender?

A. male

 

3. Which best describes your race?

A. White

 

4. What continent do you live on?

A. North America

 

5. How much do you make per year?

E. $50,001-$100,000

 

6. How much do you spend on Transformers per month? (includes toys, comics, videos… any and all Transformer related material)

C. $20.01-$50.00

 

7. How many Transformers do you own that are from the Generation One series (includes all TF before G2 no matter the country, reissues, Binaltech, Alternators, etc.)? If you own more than one of the same figure, add it into the total.

B. 11-50

 

8. How many Transformers do you own that are from the Generation Two series (includes all TF in Generation 2 packaging no matter the country, reissues of Gen 2 figures, and Machine Wars)? If you own more than one of the same figure, add it into the total.

A 0-10

 

9. How many Transformers do you own that are from the Beast Wars/Beast Machines series (includes all Beast Wars/Beast Machines toys no matter the country, reissues of Beast Wars figures, Beast Wars Neo, etc.)? If you own more than one of the same figure, add it into the total.

C. 26-50

 

10. How many Transformers do you own that are from the Robots in Disguise/Universe line (includes all Transformers from the RID line no matter the country, Universe line, Robot Masters, etc.)? If you own more than one of the same figure, add it into the total.

A. 0-10

 

11. How many Transformers do you own that are from the Armada-Energon-Cybertron line (includes all Transformers from the modern era of Transformers regardless of country, Superlink, etc.)? If you own more than one of the same figure, add it into the total.

A. 0-10

 

12. How many Transformers do you own that are considered “exclusives�? If you own more than one of the same figure, add it into the total.

A. 0-10

 

13. How many Transformers do you own that are considered “prototypes�? If you own more than one of the same figure, add it into the total.

A.  zero

 

14. How many Transformers do you own that are not included in the previous categories? (for example, knock-offs, PVCs, statues, etc.?) If you own more than one of the same figure, add it into the total.

B. 11-25

 

15. How many Transformer videos/DVDs have you purchased (do NOT include episodes that you have recorded off of TV or downloaded)?

B. 6-10

 

16. How many Transformer comics have you purchased (do NOT include issues that you have downloaded)?

A. 0-5

 

17. How many times have you purchased a Transformer “just to have it in the collection� even if you didn’t like it?

B. sometimes

 

18. How many times have you had relationship problems due to your collecting habits?

B. sometimes

 

19. Have you ever committed a crime (such as stealing a Transformer or money for Transformers) in order to have a Transformer?

B. no

 

20. Consider this statement: “After purchasing a Transformer, I’m happy for a little while, but then I put it away and the feeling of happiness is over.� How well would you say this statement applies to you?

B. a little

 

21. Which version of Transformers do you most identify with?

C. Beast Wars/Beast Machines

 

22. What is the most you have ever spent on one, single Transformer?

D. $50.01-$100.00

 

23. Consider this statement: “Sometimes when I purchase a Transformer, I feel embarrassed and hide my purchase from my family/friends.� How well would you say this statement applies to you?

B. a little

 

24. Are you happy with your current life?

D. a little depressed

 

25. Do you feel that you need help in controlling your spending habits when it comes to collecting Transformer related items?

B. perhaps a bit

Just took it and emailed it to you.  Hope it helps in the long run man :thumb and good luck with the survey.  I had to do something along these lines for a sociology project a few years back.  Didn't turn out the way I had hoped...not to mention the day I was supposed to present was the first day of a two week sickness :redface

sent ya my reply as well.

What type of regression are you planning to use to analyze your data? And are you using Voxco, SPSS or Excel Smart Regression?

Cool. *Will fill out later*

 

Oh and my school plays yours in b-ball...I knew the college sounded familiar.

As mentioned in a previous post (about a month ago) on Transfandom.com, I am doing a research project for a graduate level class at Valdosta State University on the shopping habits of those people who consider themselves Transformer collectors.

 

SIR (or Madam) I WILL BUY YOUR REPORT FROM YOU FOR $25 BECAUSE THAT'S THE KIND OF COLLECTOR I AM! 

 

Have the monopoly money right here!