Possible Statistical Analysis Surver for Speedcubers

[Carson]

I am considering seting up a survey for statistical analysis purposes for speedcubers. It would deal very little with cubing itself, but instead, would focus on other aspects of life to determine what types of people are drawn to speedcubing and possibly what outside factors may affect your skills in various speedcubing events.

The survey will likely be between 50 and 100 questions. Whether I take on this project depends highly on how many people are willing to take the time to complete it.

Also, feel free to reply with any questions that you would like to see included on the survery.

A list of potential questions:

• Age (This will be a range)
• Gender
• Interest in sports
• Ability in sports
• Interest in video games
• Ability in video games
• Rate your memory
• Rate your vocabulary
• How often do you use profanity
• Do you drink
• Do you smoke
• Are you a recreational drug user
• What is your IQ (or estimated IQ) (This options will be listed as options)
• What grades did you typically get in school? (A,B,C,D,F)
• Do you play a musical instrument
• How many siblings do you have
• Were you raised by both of your parents
• How quickly do you lose interest in a difficult tast
• Have you, or do you plan to, move a significant distance from where you grew, or are growing, up
• How many words per minute can you type
• What is your favorite type of music
• What is your least favorite type of music
• Rate your religious interest
• Rate your parents religious interest
• How many languages do you speak (including sign)
• Do you require corrective lenses
• Rate your interest in television
• Rate your interest in movies
• If you had to choose, would you prefer one best friend, or many casual friends
• Do you like to dance
• Do you prefer to shower in the morning, at night, or both
• Do you prefer a toothbrush with soft, medium, or firm bristles
• How many caffeinated beverages do you typically consume in a day
• Do you eat healthy
• Are you a vegetarian
• Hair Color
• Eye Color
• Interest in computers
• Rate your work ethic
• Do you do better as a leader, follower, or somewhere in between
• Do you work better under pressure, or at your own pace
• Do you prefer to multitast, or complete one task at a time

As you can see, some of the questions are somewhat personal, but the test will be completely anonymous.

Please Discuss...

 

[Tim Reynolds]

Sure, I'll do it. Try to make questions like "rate your work ethic" less open-ended, or you'll have a lot of trouble compiling results.

 

[Waynilein]

A lot of people found out about cubing because they're interested in other things involving finger dexterity (i.e. pen spinning, ffr, card manipulation and countless other things), you could have a question involving that. Programming also has a few things in common with cubing, also maybe performance in maths.

Is there any particular reason you're making a survey for cubers?

 

[cmhardw]

Sure, I'll do it. Try to make questions like "rate your work ethic" less open-ended, or you'll have a lot of trouble compiling results.

I would be interested in filling out the questions too. Just keep in mind that your sample population are cubers who are also computer users, and in addition to that users of this forum. This might skew the results a bit.

Chris

 

[Waynilein]

Just keep in mind that your sample population are cubers who are also computer users, and in addition to that users of this forum. This might skew the results a bit.

Chris

Of course, he could also get random cubers to take the survey, at a competition or a cuber meetup.

 

[hawkmp4]

Or just give the survey to people to distribute to all the cubers that they know.
I'd be interested in the results and so I'll be willing to answer any questions like that.

 

[Brett]

I'd be interested to see the results.

As for work ethic, as a little sidenote you should ask a side question about procrastination, because my work ethic is good once I start something (start at last minute )

 

[Dene]

Sounds like a great idea, I'll fill it in!

I have a problem with this question:

[*]If you had to choose, would you prefer one best friend, or many casual friends

I don't want any friends at all.
I find this a very common thing to happen in many psychological tests (usually on personality). It's always the same: "many, or few?" It's never "none?"

 

[ShadenSmith]

Sounds like a great idea, I'll fill it in!

I have a problem with this question:

[*]If you had to choose, would you prefer one best friend, or many casual friends

I don't want any friends at all.
I find this a very common thing to happen in many psychological tests (usually on personality). It's always the same: "many, or few?" It's never "none?"

No friends at all?

 

[nitrocan]

I don't want any friends at all.

TOO SHORT
Why?

 

[rjohnson_8ball]

I don't want any friends at all.

TOO SHORT
Why?

Dene was just indicating that some questionnaires allow for a subset of answers when they should offer the complete set of possible answers. It's like asking someone, "How many cubes do you have? One? Two? More?" or "Think of a number. Is it less than zero? More than zero?"

 

[Lofty]

Dene was being serious...

 

[Dene]

Well, sure I was being serious, but Mr. rjohnson_8ball did give a nice explanation.

You should be careful that you avoid questions where the options are not exhastive of all possibilities (or at least give an "other" choice for when either of the options really doesn't someone).

BTW: Mr. Loftus you know me so well

 

[Kristoffer]

Sounds interesting...i'm curious about the result^^

 

[cookingfat]

yes, I would be willing to do the questionnaire.

 

[Bryan]

I'd leave out the IQ question. Many people are going to reply and give themselves a high IQ, no matter what.

Honestly, do people even get IQ tests anymore? I mean actual IQ tests, not advanced placements tests or anything.

 

[hawkmp4]

Maybe a better indication would be ACT/SAT scores, if available?
I don't take much stock in any kind of test for intelligence so I'd rather see nothing about tests on the survey.

 

[TimMc]

I'd participate.

But remove any ambiguous questions (they'd be useless).

Tim.

 

[Dene]

Maybe a better indication would be ACT/SAT scores, if available?
I don't take much stock in any kind of test for intelligence so I'd rather see nothing about tests on the survey.

Oh sure, and for those not from the USA? There are other countries in the world, you know.

 

[cmhardw]

Oh sure, and for those not from the USA? There are other countries in the world, you know.

Canada?

;-)

Chris