(ab)Use the Force? (outofservice.com/starwars)

Member Name: JEHodgson

Product:	outofservice.com/starwars
Date:	06/05/01 (391 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Star Wars

Disadvantages: Not that exciting really

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, ...no hang on, that's not right. That's from somewhere else. This is meant to be a review of a strange site called 'Find your Star Wars Twin'. No, it's not a missing persons search for those without the ability to distinguish reality from sci-fi. Its one of those fantastic 'tests' where you tell it the answers to loads of questions about you, and then it regurgitates your answers to tell you what you just told it in a different way.
(You know, 'Do you hate being with other people? Do you like living in caves? Do you want to live a reclusive life? If you answered yes, then you are a 'hermit' type of person!' Good grief.)

Now you may say that you can detect a hint of cynicism here. You would be certainly understating things if you did. Truth be told, I find those tests rather pointless and silly.

So why am I writing a review on it, and why did I bother to look? Two things really: Firstly,like all of us forced to partake in human nature, I am an inquisitive soul, and even though these tests are stupid, I have looked at them from time to time. (Don't tell anyone though..) Secondly, it said Star Wars on it, and as a child of the original Star Wars era, I am inexorably drawn to any tat which says Star Wars on it.

So here goes.
The site itself looks ok, though the main entry page is also the test page, and is longer than a very long thing (even longer than some of my opinions). It's nothing special though- a little pic of Yoda and a repeated poor image of part of a stormtrooper's head. The images weren't really worth the incredibly long time it took my creaking old computer to download them.
It explains itself clearly, though and has links to a few subpages. Most of these don't say much else: they have links to other pages on psychology if you are interested in real psychology, and a page of awards from 1999 that I have
never heard of.
One page does explain all the characters the test could give you as an 'answer', which was a nice idea, but I couldn't maintain enough interest after the first few. The best page was the StarWars links, which had some really good sites if you are a fan.

The test itself?
I tried it out, purely for the sake of research, you understand. It took me 3 or 4 minutes, clicking quickly, and avoiding the option to rate a sibling. If you do this, there are also further questions at the end. It was fairly well set out, and repeated similar types of question as these tests do in order to cancel out erroneous or biased answers presumably.
It responded in a few moments, and gave a clear answer, listing the star wars characters I was like.

Summarising the site, it is obviously an attempt to gain data for a study that has employed the star wars angle to catch extra participants, apparently because the person conducting the research was a big fan. Sneaky, or a tribute/homage? It doesn't matter does it?
Was it worth the visit? Well if you have nothing better to do, and like star wars, it's a bit of fun. The sort of site that you send the address to people by email, but not something you rave about. Try it and see.



That's it.


What? What do you want to know?


Oh alright.
It gives you ratings in categories for openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness(?), and neuroticism.
I got Yoda, Han Solo, Luke, Darth Vader and Chewie. Make of it what you will.
As always with these tests, I choose to believe the nice bits are true.
I like to think it means I am very wise, good with a blaster, and have great power, authority and strength.

Not that I am short, dodgy, naive, evil and hairy.

May the force be with you.

www.outofservice.com/starwars

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