What is this Research about?
What is the purpose of the study?
I am exploring the significance science fiction and fantasy posters have for those who display or collect them – what meanings if any, they might have for you and the reasons why you might collect or display them on your walls or anywhere else.
The aim of the Research...
The aim of the research is to explore the significance of science-fiction and fantasy posters for individuals and groups as a source of cultural significance and meaning.
Research Questions
The research questions below are the questions that this research project aims to answer.
What are the meanings and sources of the significance of science-fiction and fantasy posters to those who collect and display them?
How do science-fiction and fantasy posters reflect the individual’s own expressed sense of themselves? to what degree and ways, do the posters reflect their values for example?
What, if any or how much, significance do science-fiction and fantasy posters have for individual social behaviour, perceptions of identities, sense of self or wellbeing?
For example, do science-fiction and fantasy posters help reaffirm who they consider themselves to be in the sense of their identities or help their felt sense of wellbeing? It is important to make it clear that there is a possibility that science-fiction and fantasy posters might have limited significance for some of those who display them. Even where posters might be seen as having a role, that will be one among many aspects of someone’s life.
Does the context within which science-fiction and fantasy posters are displayed (private, public) affect their meaning to those who display them?
Are there any differences in such meanings or significance between ‘official’ science-fiction and fantasy posters and those produced as ‘fan art’?
Are the answers to the above questions influenced by the material/digital form of the science-fiction and fantasy posters? For physical forms, does the size and shape of the poster matter?
Data collection approaches:
A variety of qualitative data collection approaches are employed in this study as they allow for a degree of triangulation; the derivation of insights using a variety of sources.
As the questions are asked inask questions in alternative ways to hopefully to further understand the participants meanings.
Approximately at least 50 responses but hope for 100
Structured questions with multiple-choice tick boxes.
The questions are about your science-fiction and fantasy poster(s) these being either physical (i.e., paper, card, canvas etc) or digital (i.e., wallpaper on devices such as a laptop, tablet, desktop, and mobile phone) format.
The questions span:
Your poster(s) (e.g., the size, material, how many you have etc.)
In the possible ways your poster(s) are significant and meaningful to you
Yourself such national identity, age, religion, disability, social class, gender and ethnicity. This is useful to this study, but you can choose not to disclose all or any of this if you prefer.
Approximately 20 - 50 participants
1- 2 hours or possibility more
Unstructured questions
The participants are asked to expand more on their answers in their online survey about their science-fiction and fantasy poster(s) (Physical and/or Digital).
There will be observations during the in-depth interviews of the participants interacting with their displayed posters. This includes how people make use of senses such as touch when making their choices.
This method is used in the In-depth interviews and online survey.
The participants are asked why they have chosen their science-fiction and/or fantasy poster(s).
This method is used in the In-depth interviews and online survey.
The participants are asked how much money they are willing to pay for a sci-fi and fantasy poster.
Do the different types of posters determine how much the participants are willing to pay?
Participant information Sheets
The participant information sheet(s) is used to explain the purpose of the online survey and the interview, what participants will be required to do /how participants will be involved.
If you wish to take part in my study you can read the 'Participant Information Sheet(s)' (Online Survey and in-depth interviews), which you can download below.
Feel free to ask me if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information at Rhianna.Morse@brunel.ac.uk
Participant Information Sheet
The participant information sheet is used to explain the purpose of the online survey and what participants will be required to do /how participants will be involved.
Participant Information Sheet
The participant information sheet is used to explain the purpose of the Interview and what participants will be required to do /how participants will be involved.