My Little Pony Fan Survey

[Admiral Regulus 2,769]

UPDATE: You can take the survey here.

 

Over a month ago, I mentioned I was studying the brony fandom for a school project. I created a topic and had a few good responses; it satisfied my requirements at the time. Well, the good news is that my professor has looked over my research proposal and given me the green light. I am ready to delve deeper into my research. Yaaaaaay!

 

The reason why I was researching fanfictions initially was because I had to first determine if my topic is viable. This research is being done for a writing class, so I had to show that there is writing that I can analyze from within the community. I now know that there is depth to it, and such an analysis is necessary. So, for my next step in researching the fandom, I am issuing a survey to members of the community... which obviously includes this little community here.

 

I'm trying to analyze the fandom under what's called activity theory. It's a metaphorical lens people use in academia to examine and understand groups of people, their interactions, goals, and so on. Within the brony community, the goals aren't quite so easily defined. Unlike a typical office or social group, there is no primary objective. In fact, as bronies, our existence is very misunderstood at best. No one really understands why we're all here on a forum for talking about ponies.

 

Not even I understand why I'm here, honestly. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

Over the past few weeks, I've been collecting secondary research. Now that I have a comfortable amount, I'm ready to again start collecting my own research--primary research. From this survey, I hope to gather enough background information so that I can examine the structure and writings of the community with a more focused eye.

 

As such, this survey is a little more broad than the bunch of questions I initially started off with. I'm now asking questions that pertain to many aspects of the community, and hopefully, these answers will guide me in my further investigations, allowing me to draw conclusions about the fandom itself. That's the goal, at least.

 

So, if you have a few minutes to spare and you're okay with this, it's research time!

 

If you guys are interested, I can post my final report over here in a few months.

Edited October 7, 2014 by Regulus

[boiteporte 591]

This sounds interesting and I will complete the survey once I get enough time to do so. But, I am curious, what course are you studying ?

[Admiral Regulus 2,769]

Surprisingly, this is for a freshman-level writing class, ENC 1102, Composition II. That said, my topic mingles with writing studies with cultural studies and even psychology.

[boiteporte 591]

I am having a bit of trouble understanding this. When you mean "freshman", do you mean First Year ?

And I think that ENC 1102 is "Writing and Rhetoric 2".

 

Is that an English course or am I totally mistaken ?

[Discordly Cutiepie 2,065]

1) To me the word brony/pegasister is a person that watches my little pony or likes the fan content or both 

 

2) My self i do consider a brony as there is not one day mlp is not in my head 

 

​3) The person can like the show and not be classed as a brony as the term in my eyes is mainly a personal choice. Because some just like saying oh i watch mlp sometimes dont mean they wanna be called a brony

4) How i personally went from just watching to a brony was once i actually found out there was a group term for a fan of mlp and i knew i could be apart of like minded people. I never really was part till i had people actually talk to me about the show i was more or less in the background

 

5) In a way yes they have as you see fan things in the show such as derpy. also you can see it with the villains as they would be no-wear near as evil with out the bronys

 

6) Just did that

 

7) Yes all of my friends know im a brony and not one of them care (so long as i don't act creepy and stuff) they just let it slide as its just a cartoon

 

8) I have told my mum she didn't care at the time but now i think she has forgot. I have also told my sister and she now likes the show but not as much as me
 

9) I'm open about it but ONLY if people ask or i wont talk about as i know people don't care unless they say so on that no no one has done anything bad or good to me about it

10) Honestly most people in the fandom can excel in one thing like music, art, fanfic. But me no hell no i cant do anything the way i contribute is by being a nice person to everyone i talk to

 

11) I feel it has on some of the more well known bronys like the ones that make music

 

12) I do look for fan content as (like now) when there is no mlp going on it keeps my interest in the show over the time and i find more people to talk to

 

13) Fan created content does make me more into the show as it makes me find out more about it and the people that watch it

 

14) I try to as the morals in the show are things all people should follow as its just general things like be nice and stand up for yourself 

 

15) I cant really answer that as i don't remember what moral came from where and what most of them are (sorry)

 

16) Again the same as answer 15 (sorry)

 

17) No i don't think we do as i believe all people are different (in a good way) no one is the same and never will be and that's in general not just with bronys

 

18) I don't really think about it but i guess the way i am as a person i do follow that as i try to like everyone and never hate

 

19) Again some do some don't as no one is or will be the same 

 

20) How i communicate is really only on the forums that's it as i don't really have talent in art or music

 

21) I only have on thing mlp related and it came from build a bear

 

22) I dont keep up with it ALL but if i see some things from the forums and look it up

 

23) I have an oc but it was more i was bored i dont have a ponysona 

 

24) I identify myself as a brony so that i have people to talk to and have things to talk about in the like it also make me stand out 

 

25) It affected me in that it has made me more open to talk to people and not as shy

 

26) I think it is that most of us are sad or want to help the sad people, then its also people want to stand out and be different 

 

27) I suppose it is i dont really know what to say but when i get pissed off with the world i watch mlp to forget so yes i guess its right

 

28) i guess you could also say that as true as i do seem to feel safe around people like me and like the show

 

29) i dont know (dont judge me my IQ is 69 whaaaa) lol

 

30) my brain has blown up as there was like 30 questions i cant take it 

[Admiral Regulus 2,769]

I am having a bit of trouble understanding this. When you mean "freshman", do you mean First Year ?

 

Yes, freshman level means first year. I'm technically in my third year, but I'm taking a freshman level class. That's why the number is in the 1000s.

 

 

Is that an English course or am I totally mistaken ?

 

It's going to be a little different depending on where you live.

 

It's a writing class, and the goal of the class is to analyze writing as it appears in the "real world." There's plenty of writing in the brony community, so that's what I'm researching.

 

30) my brain has blown up as there was like 30 questions i cant take it

 

 

 

Ooops. Sorry, I forgot to mention sometimes that can happen.

Edited October 7, 2014 by Regulus

[Oblivion 20,282]

There you go, I completed the survey for you, Good Luck!

[Cloud Yeller 69]

I filled it out.  I would love to read the final report.  Please post it when it's finished.  

[PickFairy 41]

Took it for ya   It was somewhat interesting, and hope mine helps.

[shy0wl 484]

I took it, it was a nice survey 

[Lucky Star 972]

just finished the survey.

good luck on your paper!

[Odyssey 5,719]

Completed the survey. I hope your research on the brony community is successful.

[Gernia 692]

Finished! I hope my contribution helps.

[A goat 323]

I'm below 18 and I took the survey. EFF THE POLICE!

Edited October 14, 2014 by A goat

[Cloud Strife 928]

1.) I would define a "brony/pegasister" as someone who places this fandom as part of their central identity. I don't go by it because this fandom is among other fandoms that I'm in and I prefer not to use a title for it.

2.) No.

3.) Depends on if they want to go by that title. You are not a brony if you don't want to be. It's a title you take on as an identity and it's something that you can personally decide whether or not you are one.

4.) There was no event that ever made me distance myself from the title. I have never used the title even when I was first getting into the fandom. That being said, there was a period of time in which I didn't like those who went by the title before I realized being initially judgmental like that wasn't ethical.

5.) Yes.

6.) Derpy is definitely an example, but there are also episodes that are quite clearly catered toward them (e.g. "Read it and Weep"). There are tons of little nods to the fandom through call-outs of their Elements (something that initially the writers didn't focus on) and the whole existence of EqG.

7.) If you mean my interest in My Little Pony, pretty much every friend of mine knows about that. If you mean me being a brony, none, since I'm not a brony.

8.) In lieu of the seventh question, I'm assuming my interest in My Little Pony. In which case, I have never kept it hidden.

9.) I'm not a brony. Everyone who has found out I have an interest has hardly bat an eye at it, possibly because I'm a cis female.

10.) I'm not an open contributor to the fandom - yet. I have drawn a few fanworks before, and I have made RP accounts on Tumblr, but that's about it.

11.) Yes.

12.) Sometimes.

13.) I like fan-created media in all fandoms that I participate in, and this is not an exception. I would be lying if I said it didn't affect my interest in the show, just as much as fanworks have also influenced my opinion in other things, such as the Sonic games.

14.) Yes.

15.) No. Many of the episodes presented I've already learned when growing up.

16.) The Mysterious Mare Do Well's moral is not presented very well and in general, I feel like it's a moral that's worth questioning. I also don't like One Bad Apple's moral, nor Feeling Pinkie Keen's.

17.) As evidenced by the Debate Pit: Sometimes.

18.) I don't get what this question is asking but I'm putting Sometimes in anyway.

19.) Forums, Tumblr, RP, and through deviantART is how I communicate with bronies.

20.) I don't buy merchandise. (I don't have the money.)

21.) I keep up with events not necessarily within the fandom, but with the show itself. I'll go on a Google search to see when episodes will air and find them on YouTube. I don't really pay much attention to the fandom, or at least not as much as I do some other fandoms I'm in.

22.) Not yet, so No.

23.) N/A

24.) I have made a few friends within the fandom, but I haven't been all that active in it for very long, so not yet.

25.) I believe it attracted an audience for the exact same reason other good cartoons are, because they're good cartoons, like Courage the Cowardly Dog, Arthur, or other shows like that. While I do believe that it's more likely to attract an Autistic audience because of the fact that it's a cartoon, I think this show can also appeal well to the neurotypical for the same reason.

26.) Kind of. I think it's something you can't say for sure, because people get attracted to different things for different reasons.

27.) Same as above.

28.) Not really.

29.) Probably. I would say it's a distinct possibility for a lot of bronies here, especially the ones who say they've lost interest in the show but keep coming back for the community. Also, I would definitely say that people identify as "brony" because of the community because that's where the term has come from.

[Vox 870]

Finished, i'd like to see the overall results eventually.