# Survey Regarding the Psychology of Fursuiting



## Jasper_Shiba (Nov 24, 2017)

*Good day!

*My name is Jasper, and I'm a psychology major at Truman State University. I'm currently working on a research project regarding a topic of my choosing - the psychology of fursuiting. This was borne from one thing: fursuiters, like it or not, *are* the face of our fandom. Be it through crude misrepresentations like _CSI: "Fur and Loathing", _or from positive articles such as Psychology Today's "_What's the deal with "Furries"?", _the majority of people outside of our fandom are primarily exposed to fursuits, and thus associate those with being a furry as a whole. 

 As we all know, this comes with a slew of poor stigmas about our fandom as a whole. I need not list them here. It's understandable; we are different, we are the outgroup to them. The natural response from a non-fur SHOULD be one of discomfort. *However, *this natural response can be prevented when the outsider has something important - context. Context we can provide via hard, empirical data. This is what I seek to find. 

I humbly ask that any fursuiters, present, past, or future, that view this thread take twenty minutes to fill out the *linked survey.* This is the core of my study; this is the backbone upon which I shall make my arguments. I need a large response count for the data to be considered academically viable, being a qualitative survey...especially since, according to my professor, there's a very good chance I could get this research published. That's only possible with a hearty number of responses to my study. 

I thank you so much for your time reading this, and even more so if you chose to fill out the survey. Please, have a wonderful day. 

-Jasper


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## Mikazuki Marazhu (Nov 24, 2017)

Done


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## Saga (Nov 24, 2017)

Filled it out


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## Water Draco (Nov 24, 2017)

Good luck with your survey and here is a bump for you thread.


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## Yakamaru (Nov 24, 2017)

Interesting topic to pick.


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## Foenixblood (Nov 26, 2017)

Filled out the form, good luck on the project


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## Jasper_Shiba (Nov 26, 2017)

Thanks a ton for all the great responses! 
After a bit of thought, I've decided to keep the survey running for a few months, well after the end of the semester. While this was started as an assignment, I want to see this study through to the end, to ensure my data really is rock solid. I want a study be proud of; I want a study that's truly worth publishing. What I've got currently will do for the research project, but that is but a small distraction from the final goal at this point.


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## Zerohi (Nov 27, 2017)

There you go
 I hope I was helpfull


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## Foenixblood (Nov 27, 2017)

Mind if you post your final draft for the research paper here, looking forward to what you had to say.


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## Open_Mind (Nov 27, 2017)

Done! Glad to help.


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## Mudman2001 (Nov 27, 2017)

Just recently jumped into the deep end of the fandom but filled it out for ya.


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## Jasper_Shiba (Nov 28, 2017)

Foenixblood said:


> Mind if you post your final draft for the research paper here, looking forward to what you had to say.


I do plan on doing so, yeah. I'm looking for a finishing date of this Friday; then, I need to send the draft to AnthroNW so they can review it and give me the release to use their 2017 con attendance photos in the final, polished paper. I'll post it to this forum and r/furry sometime after it's been submitted to my professor on Monday.


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## Ginza (Nov 28, 2017)

Took it


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## Troj (Nov 28, 2017)

Yo, Jasper:

Furscience, the science behind Furries and their fandom.


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## Astus (Nov 28, 2017)

Troj said:


> Yo, Jasper:
> 
> Furscience, the science behind Furries and their fandom.



Last year at Anthrocon these guys actually did a focus group on fursuiting, I don’t recall what it was about exactly since you couldn’t sit in on it if you weren’t part of the group... But I’m sure if you want information about Furries to any extent these guys are probably the one to ask


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## Jasper_Shiba (Nov 28, 2017)

Troj said:


> Yo, Jasper:
> 
> Furscience, the science behind Furries and their fandom.



Aye, the work of Dr. Courtney Plante and associates is something I'm very familiar with at this point. Their work has been an invaluable asset to my research; however, none of their published studies have had fursuiters as the primary focus - thus my choice to target my own research at this largely untouched ground. I'm using the census data from Dr. Alex Osaki's "Furry Survey" and Dr. Courtney Plante's "Fur Science!" to contrast my own findings against - ie, I'm getting more precise results on a focused portion of the total population.
Other studies, such as Dr. Sharon E. Roberts' studies on "The Anthrozoomorphic Identity" and "Clinical interaction with anthropomorphic phenomenon", Dr. Kathleen C. Gerbasi's "Furries from A to Z", and Dr. Courtney Plante's study on "The Fantasy Engagement Scale" are also being referred to in the final paper. (Don't know if the links will work for y'all, I'm pretty sure the only way I can access these studies is because I'm linked to the university library's system.)




Astusthefox said:


> Last year at Anthrocon these guys actually did a focus group on fursuiting, I don’t recall what it was about exactly since you couldn’t sit in on it if you weren’t part of the group... But I’m sure if you want information about Furries to any extent these guys are probably the one to ask



Ooh, I hadn't heard about that. I'll see if I can get into contact with Dr. Sharon Roberts, the one usually in charge of granting access to the IARP's studies. Thanks for the tip!!


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## Pinky_the_demon (Nov 28, 2017)

And.... done

I just wish I was able to provide better answers for ya, but i don't have a fursuit yet.


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## Troj (Nov 28, 2017)

Our team is also open to collaboration with other ethical and dedicated researchers who care about the furry fandom, and when we all work together, we can pool resources, information, and ideas better.

If you ever want to conduct research at AC, Jasper, please do contact one of us!


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## BahgDaddy (Nov 29, 2017)

Jasper_Shiba said:


> *Good day!
> *
> My name is Jasper, and I'm a psychology major at Truman State University. I'm currently working on a research project regarding a topic of my choosing - the psychology of fursuiting. This was borne from one thing: fursuiters, like it or not, *are* the face of our fandom. Be it through crude misrepresentations like _CSI: "Fur and Loathing", _or from positive articles such as Psychology Today's "_What's the deal with "Furries"?", _the majority of people outside of our fandom are primarily exposed to fursuits, and thus associate those with being a furry as a whole.
> 
> ...



I appreciate you doing this! However I'm not a fursuiter so I won't do your poll. I'm furry-lite I guess.


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## reptile logic (Nov 30, 2017)

I read the survey. Now I'll hit on a few high points:

I have worn one fur suit; Smokey Bear. I was originally chosen because the suit fit me well, I am tall, and because I learned that enjoyed the experience (high temperatures not withstanding). I was the local Smokey for almost ten years, for most all of the functions where an appearance might be made; all public, of course. It was fun to be recognized, and accepted, as someone else other than the usual me. I would love having and wearing a 'sona-appropriate suit, but am simply  too picky (Asperger's combined with an education in engineering) and too poor to do it the way I would want it done. Other things in life take priority.

Truth be told, I am happy, and I feel accepted, as the human that I am. To be the ttraco that I would love to be; that little dream must live only in the stories that I create.

I hope that this little tidbit helps.


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## Jasper_Shiba (Dec 2, 2017)

Troj said:


> Our team is also open to collaboration with other ethical and dedicated researchers who care about the furry fandom, and when we all work together, we can pool resources, information, and ideas better.
> 
> If you ever want to conduct research at AC, Jasper, please do contact one of us!



I would absolutely love the opportunity, (schedule permissive,) no questions asked!


BahgDaddy said:


> I appreciate you doing this! However I'm not a fursuiter so I won't do your poll. I'm furry-lite I guess.



You're still free to take the survey if you so choose - simply select one of the "I don't own a fursuit..." options! While your replies won't be used in the study's results for fursuiters, non-suiter results are excellent to measure for any distinctions between suiters and non-suiters, within the confines of the survey at least. 


reptile logic said:


> I read the survey. Now I'll hit on a few high points:
> 
> I have worn one fur suit; Smokey Bear. I was originally chosen because the suit fit me well, I am tall, and because I learned that enjoyed the experience (high temperatures not withstanding). I was the local Smokey for almost ten years, for most all of the functions where an appearance might be made; all public, of course. It was fun to be recognized, and accepted, as someone else other than the usual me. I would love having and wearing a 'sona-appropriate suit, but am simply  too picky (Asperger's combined with an education in engineering) and too poor to do it the way I would want it done. Other things in life take priority.
> 
> ...



Oh, yes, that actually does! Do you mind if I include this messages' contents in the study's data? I can see at least three questions' common results this is consistent with. Thanks for sharing!


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## 134 (Dec 2, 2017)

Ok I filled it out too!


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## Jasper_Shiba (Dec 2, 2017)

Nimilex said:


> Ok I filled it out too!



Thanks a bunch! Your contribution is much appreciated!~


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## reptile logic (Dec 3, 2017)

Jasper_Shiba said:


> ... ...Oh, yes, that actually does! Do you mind if I include this messages' contents in the study's data? I can see at least three questions' common results this is consistent with. Thanks for sharing!



Go right ahead.


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## crystallinecanine (Dec 20, 2017)

Entered! Best wishes to ya~


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## Andysalman67 (Jun 4, 2020)

I'm really interested in seeing the results of the survey, wasn't you supposed to publish them?


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## Stray Cat Terry (Jun 4, 2020)

So it's almost three years since that, how's it going?


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## reptile logic (Jun 4, 2020)

After almost three years, I'm guessing that the OP isn't going to provide that information.


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## Ashwolves5 (Jun 4, 2020)

Andysalman67 said:


> I'm really interested in seeing the results of the survey, wasn't you supposed to publish them?


They posted it separately forums.furaffinity.net: "The Psychology of Fursuiting" research paper


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## KiokuChan (Jun 7, 2020)

Cool. I suggest you also post this on the furry and fursuits subreddits  for even more responses: www.reddit.com: Fursuits! and wherever else you can of course.


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## KiokuChan (Jun 7, 2020)

Maybe you can also try reaching out to well known furry Youtubers and see if any will make a video talking about your project and linking the survery. Don't know if any will but it maybe couldn't hurt to ask.


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## KiokuChan (Jun 7, 2020)

Oh I'm way too late, lol. Well if anyone else does similar that's advice.


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