Second Life Research Study - Participants Requested

[FairreLilette]

14 minutes ago, FairreLilette said:

But, not necessarily that he doesn't care about us with nothing in his profile...it's most likely just an alt.  

My alt that I established in my business name doesn't even have any clothes and all her profile says is to contact me, FairreLilette.  It's just an alt to establish my business name...her clothing is the default avatar you start the game with.  lol   So, my alt doesn't shop at all.  

O M Geee  I used the word GAME...eyes are going to pop out and heads are going to explode now!  

I shudda said started the world with or started Second Life with cause I never think of Second Life as a game.  Wonders where that foo-pa came from?

Maybe my sinus headache.  

My alt has never been shopping...she is ab-normal in this world.  

[Selene Gregoire]

7 minutes ago, Madelaine McMasters said:

When I was in graduate school, I left a research study because of the way they were using the laboratory animals. I understood that there was no suitable alternative to the animals, but that didn't mean they could be treated as "disposable". I argued that every effort should be made to ensure that maximum use was made of each life. The primary investigator on the project was miffed by my satirical take on their approach, including my suggestion that they might as well eat the animals afterwards. I actually do think the image is in poor taste, not because of what it portrays, but because it's got the look of "marketing" all over it.

I understand the context is different and I'm sorry I offended you, Selene. I'm not sorry I offended the professor.

Thank you. I'm not sorry you offended the professor either. We don't have to throw things away just because we don't want them anymore even if we do live in a disposable society. We don't have to be that way. We can chose to not be wasteful. Of things as well as lives.

[FairreLilette]

16 minutes ago, Madelaine McMasters said:

When I was in graduate school, I left a research study because of the way they were using the laboratory animals. I understood that there was no suitable alternative to the animals, but that didn't mean they could be treated as "disposable". I argued that every effort should be made to ensure that maximum use was made of each life. The primary investigator on the project was miffed by my satirical take on their approach, including my suggestion that they might as well eat the animals afterwards. I actually do think the image is in poor taste, not because of what it portrays, but because it's got the look of "marketing" all over it.

I understand the context is different and I'm sorry I offended you, Selene. I'm not sorry I offended the professor.

 

17 minutes ago, Madelaine McMasters said:

When I was in graduate school, I left a research study because of the way they were using the laboratory animals. I understood that there was no suitable alternative to the animals, but that didn't mean they could be treated as "disposable". I argued that every effort should be made to ensure that maximum use was made of each life. The primary investigator on the project was miffed by my satirical take on their approach, including my suggestion that they might as well eat the animals afterwards. I actually do think the image is in poor taste, not because of what it portrays, but because it's got the look of "marketing" all over it.

I understand the context is different and I'm sorry I offended you, Selene. I'm not sorry I offended the professor.

In a lot of the Western world now we have vegan choices and the ability to choose items that were NOT tested on animals.

However, I read recently that in Japan or China can't remember which one, it is MANDATORY that any imported products must be tested on animals first.

I found that ridiculous....especially regarding a soap I was interested in which has been around since the 1930's in America.  The soap is very well known for nearly 100 years...there is no need to test it on animals.   

[Garnet Psaltery]

48 minutes ago, FairreLilette said:

But, not necessarily that he doesn't care about us with nothing in his profile...it's most likely just an alt.  

My alt that I established in my business name doesn't even have any clothes and all her profile says is to contact me, FairreLilette.  It's just an alt to establish my business name...her clothing is the default avatar you start the game with.  lol   So, my alt doesn't shop at all.  

Except that BrianZiegler is the name he gave, and there is nothing at all on his profile.  Why should we trust him?

[Scylla Rhiadra]

I guess I'm a bit bemused by some of the responses here?

In the normal order of things, when an undergrad posts a sloppily-composed request for last-minute assistance with an essay or report here, there are lots of good grounds for criticism of it. Few of those seem to apply here:

• The research is associated with a recognized educational institution
• The researcher has supplied his RL name, and some of his background and credentials (a quick Google search provides more)
• The researcher has been in SL since 2012 at least -- and yes, this profile is blank, as you would expect one that actually uses his RL name to be: he's hardly going to list his favourite kink groups here, is he? I'm sure this is an alt for professional purposes
• The researcher has invited us to ask for more information about the project, here and on Survey Monkey
• The project has been designed with at least some research ethics guidelines in mind, and lays out expectations and the uses of the data
• He's not asking us to do it, hurry! his essay is due on Friday!

This seems completely legit to me. I haven't looked at the survey itself, as I'm not an eligible participant, and it may well be a poorly designed one -- if so, that's a valid source of critique.

But otherwise -- well, if you don't want to do the survey, then . . . don't?

[Madelaine McMasters]

9 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

This seems completely legit to me. I haven't looked at the survey itself, as I'm not an eligible participant, and it may well be a poorly designed one -- if so, that's a valid source of critique.

I took the survey. It suggests both a lack of understanding (or care) of survey methodology in general and SL in particular. It was quite a letdown considering the introduction.

Edited September 16, 2019 by Madelaine McMasters

[FairreLilette]

16 minutes ago, Garnet Psaltery said:

Except that BrianZiegler is the name he gave, and there is nothing at all on his profile.  Why should we trust him?

I was thinking like Scylla said, it is his real name most likely that is why nothing is in his profile and she suggested to do a quick Google search on him.  

But, that is neither here nor there...as there is no particular reason to trust anything on the internet completely.  So, if you feel you cannot trust this site to give out real info, you shouldn't do it.  

[Madelaine McMasters]

31 minutes ago, FairreLilette said:

In a lot of the Western world now we have vegan choices and the ability to choose items that were NOT tested on animals.

However, I read recently that in Japan or China can't remember which one, it is MANDATORY that any imported products must be tested on animals first.

I found that ridiculous....especially regarding a soap I was interested in which has been around since the 1930's in America.  The soap is very well known for nearly 100 years...there is no need to test it on animals.   

The research project from which I withdrew could not have been done without animals. The researchers were working on surgical/monitoring methods for gastrointestinal repairs in humans. There were a half dozen researchers on the team, working on different aspects of the problem. Rather than queue up multiple experiments for a single procedure, they queued up the dogs to fit each member's schedule. The result was that each dog might be subjected to dozens of procedures, and be so thoroughly damaged by the end that where was no recourse other than to be put down. The dogs were kept in cramped quarters and received minimal attention from the facility. When I complained, I was told "you should have seen what it was like 20 years ago".

Draize testing (using rabbit's eyes to test for irritation) has been improved over the years, but is still over/misused. I am all for reducing or eliminating animal testing where possible, but I also understand that sometimes there is no alternative. Even in human trials, there's room for improvement. I worked on several human studies over my career and, in most of them, I was at least slightly dissatisfied with the Investigative Review Board process, either because they weren't thinking carefully enough about the participants, or weren't pressing harder to maximize their value. You can treat participants with the utmost care, but if you leave half your questions unanswered because you need results before Christmas break, you have not treated them with the utmost respect, even if they'll never know it.

Showing respect and feeling respected are related and important, but not the same thing.

[Scylla Rhiadra]

3 hours ago, Madelaine McMasters said:

I took the survey. It suggests both a lack of understanding (or care) of survey methodology in general and SL in particular. It was quite a letdown considering the introduction.

Rhonda, Syo, and Resi said the same thing above. That's too bad. Maybe there are suggestions we might make here that would improve the survey?

I read a PhD thesis on the subject of consumerism in SL once. It was pretty good actually, but it took a rather different approach than this work probably does, as it was a piece of cultural criticism, with a bit of pinkish Marxism around the edges. What made it pretty good, though, was that it included actual stats about things like land sales, and was clearly written by someone who was familiar with the workings of the SL economy (and it employed theorists on virtual economies, like Castronova, to inform its analysis). So it was very much grappling with the peculiarities of the SL economy. The thesis even had a chapter, I think, on the relative importance of virtual sex to the SL marketplace.

Edited September 16, 2019 by Scylla Rhiadra

[Madelaine McMasters]

1 hour ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Rhonda, Syo, and Resi said the same thing above. That's too bad. Maybe there are suggestions we might make here that would improve the survey?

I read a PhD thesis on the subject of consumerism in SL once. It was pretty good actually, but it took a rather different approach than this work probably does, as it was a piece of cultural criticism, with a bit of pinkish Marxism around the edges. What made it pretty good, though, was that it included actual stats about things like land sales, and was clearly written by someone who was familiar with the workings of the SL economy (and it employed theorists on virtual economies, like Castronova, to inform its analysis). So it was very much grappling with the peculiarities of the SL economy. The thesis even had a chapter, I think, on the relative importance of virtual sex to the SL marketplace.

One glaring problem with any SL survey will necessarily be that the sample size is too small to be of statistical value. This was a constant problem in the research I participated in during my career. There is tremendous pressure to publish or produce on limited budgets, so you make do with the barest of measurements. I can forgive under-sampling if the nature of the exercise is more about learning the process than getting good results. But, that's not what Rhonda, Syo, Resi and I critiqued. We all saw questions that suggested the author had little familiarity with clothes shopping in SL... or perhaps even RL.

Edited September 16, 2019 by Madelaine McMasters

[Kimmi Zehetbauer]

5 hours ago, FairreLilette said:

O M Geee  I used the word GAME...eyes are going to pop out and heads are going to explode now!  

I shudda said started the world with or started Second Life with cause I never think of Second Life as a game.  Wonders where that foo-pa came from?

Maybe my sinus headache.  

My alt has never been shopping...she is ab-normal in this world.  

Speaking of calling it a "game." I mentioned this in other posts, but over 12 years ago  when we had our night club south of San Francisco we had a regular who worked for LL and I clearly remember him telling me "You should check out this "game" I'm working for. It's available and free and you can make a toon, no leveling is required and can customize it to your hearts desire." Wonder if I should've reported him for calling it a game!

[Arduenn Schwartzman]

Quote

your first language must be English

Just wondering why many Native, Hispanic, Creole, Inuit and other Americans to whom English may not their first language are excluded from this study.

[Update] That excludes about 20% of all Americans who's language spoken at home is other than English. Hey, it's only 62 million people. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_the_United_States

From the questionnaire:

Quote

5. Your ethnicity:

How is this relevant for surveying someone's shopping experience? Do we need to design stores differently based on skin color? So for a better shopping experience, we may have to direct future shoppers with different ethnicities to different stores? Why not ask people their favorite color? After all, mine is red, so I always go that extra mile to get to that grocery store with red walls. /yeahthatssarcasm

IMHO, questions about ethnicity should not be included anywhere, save, maybe, on medical issues. I live in another country that boasts a diverse ethnic composition, and I've filled in many academic survey forms, but never ever have there been any questions in them about race or ethnicity.

Also, how is this survey going to benefit non-American shoppers and merchants in SL? Non American customers seems to be a large group that American merchants can squeeze some more bucks from if the marketing is right.

[Update] That's excluding about 87% of all SL residents, based on these 2008 demographics: http://forums-archive.secondlife.com/327/34/289211/2.html Huge missed opportunity, unless the real goal of this survey isn't about shopping experiences (or improving them).

The whole survey reminded me of this cartoon, btw:

Edited September 17, 2019 by Arduenn Schwartzman

[Arduenn Schwartzman]

12 hours ago, FairreLilette said:

The soap is very well known for nearly 100 years...there is no need to test it on animals.

Hey, asbestos has been know to be an excellent fire retardant since, well, literally the stone age.

Edited September 17, 2019 by Arduenn Schwartzman

[Tari Landar]

Ftr. anyone wondering...this particular University does not accept "studies" done in second life, at all, ever. It is not a valid subject matter and can't even be used as reference material because you all can't be referenced.

You're welcome  

Oh I should probably qualify that...I also have degrees from here (and others, but I know the policies of this one quite well, lol)  😛   So I'm not just talking out of my rear. 

Edited September 17, 2019 by Tari Landar

[Aethelwine]

9 hours ago, Madelaine McMasters said:

One glaring problem with any SL survey will necessarily be that the sample size is too small to be of statistical value. This was a constant problem in the research I participated in during my career. There is tremendous pressure to publish or produce on limited budgets, so you make do with the barest of measurements. I can forgive under-sampling if the nature of the exercise is more about learning the process than getting good results. But, that's not what Rhonda, Syo, Resi and I critiqued. We all saw questions that suggested the author had little familiarity with clothes shopping in SL... or perhaps even RL.

But with a name like Brian he is probably male, so not that surprising that the shopping experience isn't one he is that familiar with. He is probably still happy using the black socks for shoes he has been wearing since 2012.

[LittleMe Jewell]

On 9/16/2019 at 7:07 AM, BrianZiegler said:

 

            This study is looking for Second Life residents to participate in a 10-minute online survey. The survey focuses on your experiences purchasing items within Second Life and in the real world.

 

 

From the survey:

 

 

So.... 10 minutes or 20?

 

[Selene Gregoire]

On 9/16/2019 at 6:18 AM, Lindal Kidd said:

Does this project include payments to the participants?  I mean, so we can display our shopping behavior?

There are two things wrong with your image.

You're carrying your bags wrong. This is the correct way.

The other problem is you do not have a packhorse or shopping mule! For shame!

[Tari Landar]

Ftr. I mentioned that because students get in trouble when they do this *****, and then students get lectured on why we aren't supposed to do this. Other students in this person's class are now going to get a talking to-on repeat, the entirety of their course. If this person is in a learning team, and odds are really good they are (don't even ask), the  team will take a grade deduction if they allow any information this person gathered into the assignment, knowingly or otherwise  (yeah rear orifice retentive, I know, but it is what it is).

Please don't help this person lower another person's GPA  

 

[CheriColette]

On 9/17/2019 at 2:33 AM, Madelaine McMasters said:

When I was in graduate school, I left a research study because of the way they were using the laboratory animals. I understood that there was no suitable alternative to the animals, but that didn't mean they could be treated as "disposable". I argued that every effort should be made to ensure that maximum use was made of each life. The primary investigator on the project was miffed by my satirical take on their approach, including my suggestion that they might as well eat the animals afterwards. I actually do think the image is in poor taste, not because of what it portrays, but because it's got the look of "marketing" all over it.

 

I had similar feelings Maddi and was labeled  'disrupted' in my biology class when I refused to dissect a rat....

I ended up taking him home and he had a long life as my pet. Very clean an intelligent rats are. They dont deserve their bad reputation. 

[BrianZiegler]

First, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to either participate in the survey and/or respond to this thread. I greatly appreciate you taking the time to voice your thoughts and criticisms regarding my research and I am taking everything said into account going forward.

And for those wondering, yes, this is an alt account.

Edited September 18, 2019 by BrianZiegler

[Madelaine McMasters]

1 hour ago, CheriColette said:

I had similar feelings Maddi and was labeled  'disrupted' in my biology class when I refused to dissect a rat....

Why dissect them if you can play with them?

Or tickle them?...

I have a device that does the audio "down-conversion" shown in that video. I've used it to listen to bat echo-localization. I may have to fetch it out of the lab and go hunting for some playful rats.

And finally, in the news just a few days ago...

 

[Bree Giffen]

18 hours ago, Aethelwine said:

He is probably still happy using the black socks for shoes he has been wearing since 2012.

He's American and Americans use white socks.

[Pixie Kobichenko]

Original poster, if you come back to read the responses, I took your survey-quiz & it seemed to be lacking any insight into actual SL shopping.  Posing one very broad situation "you go into a virtual store to buy an item, what makes you decide to buy it (i want it), do you interact with sales associates (not in the sense of a RL boutique, no), and are you influenced by advertising (not so much influenced as much as informed by group notices)?"

I would have thought maybe the quiz would have questions like do you spend real monies to buy virtual monies or do you have a virtual job to obtain funds?  What outlets do you look thru for shopping exposure (ie, FB, Flicker, blogs, inworld groups)  How much of your monthly spending in SL is devoted to X, Y & Z?  In relation to real world funds, how much of your monthly realworld budget do you spend in SL?  How much of your SL  time do you spend actively shopping in SL?  

These sort of questions might not be the information the OP was looking for, but they are ones that to me (and I could be absolutely wrong- wouldnt be the first time) that would  have provided a lot of information for an academic paper.  

Edited September 18, 2019 by Pixie Kobichenko

[BelindaN]

I would have taken part in this, as an SL shopping guru.... but since I don't reside in the USA I can't. 

To me....shopping is shopping.....no matter where you live, unless there are no shops of course.

On the thread drift topic, I too had to give up studying biology when I discovered my school was breeding small mammals to use in dissection classes.

It was extremely upsetting to see them killed and dissected before they were cold. Not for me.....😥

[Selene Gregoire]

24 minutes ago, BelindaN said:

I would have taken part in this, as an SL shopping guru.... but since I don't reside in the USA I can't. 

To me....shopping is shopping.....no matter where you live, unless there are no shops of course.

On the thread drift topic, I too had to give up studying biology when I discovered my school was breeding small mammals to use in dissection classes.

It was extremely upsetting to see them killed and dissected before they were cold. Not for me.....😥

We had piglets for the final. I forget how I managed to get out of doing the frog. That's how I found out I wasn't going to be a veterinarian in 8th grade.

Anyway, the dissection didn't happen and when they went to open the lab the next school year after a long, hot, southern summer, well, let's just say I heard the smell was pretty bad and they couldn't use that lab for the first week or two school was in session. As for owning up to it, they never even looked at me. Another kid got blamed for it (he deserved it even if I didn't get him in trouble on purpose) but wasn't punished for it. He told the truth. He didn't do it and he didn't know who did. No one knew. And all I had done was try to follow the teacher's instruction to "dispose of it". I didn't know that meant throwing it away, so I did what I thought I was supposed to do. I put it back in the cabinet where I got it and no one saw me do it. In a room full of kids that liked to make my life a living hell for the fun of it.

I would have owned up to it sooner rather than years later if, two years before that, I hadn't gotten blamed for the whole class being punished when I was the only one who followed the teacher's instructions while she had to be out of the room to take an emergency call. I was the only one in the class that didn't have to write 1000 times "I will behave in class when the teacher is out of the room taking a phone call that may be an emergency." or something to that effect that took up two to three lines on the page.

Looking back, I can't help but laugh. I got my "revenge" and I didn't have to lift a finger. 

Edited September 18, 2019 by Selene Gregoire