Berger - Science Fiction Studies: Socio-Economic Perspective of Science Fiction Fans

Technology and Social Change

• Failure to relate role changes to technological changes violates aesthetic and logical criteria.

• Changing the scene and space-time matrix requires changing characters and relationships to maintain artistic success.

• Radically different technologies necessitate radically different social orders and roles.

• Basic human drives remain, but their expression is shaped by the social order and technology.

• Eating habits, sexual expression, aggression, and creativity are not immutable.

• Ability to create a social order consistent with technological imperatives is crucial for SF writers.

• Failure in this regard parallels a failure in political imagination.

Science Fiction Fans: A Socio-Economic Perspective

• Science fiction has a self-conscious fan base with clubs, publications, and conventions since the 1930s.

• Studying this network allows examination of audience reception, unlike traditional literary studies.

• Early studies were conducted by biased fans with self-selected samples.

Demographic Studies of Science Fiction Readers

• Since 1948, studies have examined demographic characteristics of SF readers, often by magazine editors.

• Charles Waugh, Carol-Lynn Waugh, and Edwin F. Libby compiled and summarized these studies.

• This paper uses their work for comparison.

• This study was conducted at the 31st World Science Fiction Convention in Toronto, September 1973.

• Applying findings to the entire SF audience is difficult due to potential differences between convention attendees and non-attendees.

• Film and television SF fans, and Star Trek cult followers were under-represented at the convention.

• The number and diversity of respondents suggest the picture is reliable for SF readers, with qualifications for affluence required to travel to Toronto.

Survey Methodology and Respondent Characteristics

• 3,000 questionnaires were distributed at the Royal York Hotel during the convention.

• 282 responses were received (8% of the estimated 3,400 attendees).

• Respondents were active, long-time readers with various fan activities.

• Convention attendees are assumed to be among the most active and committed fans.

• Table 5 indicates that respondents are not notably isolated from non-fans.

Fan Activities (Table 1)

• Club membership: 124 (43.97%)

• Fanzine subscription: 114 (40.42%)

• Fanzine writing: 68 (24.11%)

• Fanzine artwork: 21 (7.45%)

• Magazine collection: 102 (36.17%)

• Artwork collection: 47 (16.67%)

• Letters to prozines: 12 (4.26%)

• Unmarked or "none": 86 (30.50%)

• Total: 574 (203.55%) - multiple responses included, N=282

Reading Dosage (Table 2)

• 3 books, magazines, or screenplays per month: 62 (21.99%)

• 5 per month: 46 (11.35%)

• 7 per month: 38 (13.48%)

• 9 per month: 19 (6.74%)

• More than 9 per month: 111 (39.36%)

• Total: 282 (99.99%)

Age When Science Fiction Reading Began (Table 3)

• 9-15 years old: 219 (77.66%)

• 16-21 years old: 32 (11.35%)

• 22-30 years old: 9 (3.19%)

• 30-40 years old: 2 (.71%)

• Over 40 years old: 3 (1.06%)

• Under 9: 14 (4.96%*)

• Unmarked: 3 (1.06%)

• Total: 282 (99.99%)

• ("*added by respondents")

Duration of Interest in Science Fiction (Table 4)

• Less than 2 years: 5 (1.77%)

• 2-5 years: 20 (7.09%)

• 5-8 years: 28 (9.93%)

• 8-15 years: 107 (37.94%)

• More than 15 years: 119 (42.20%)

• Unmarked: 3 (1.06%)

• Total: 282 (99.99%)

Involvement of Friends with Science Fiction (Table 5)

• Fewer than 20% of friends read SF: 106 (37.59%)

• 20-50%: 83 (29.43%)

• 50-80%: 59 (20.92%)

• Nearly all friends: 30 (10.64%)

• Unmarked: 4 (1.42%)

• Total: 282 (100.00%)

Gender Representation in Science Fiction

• Traditionally, SF has been male-dominated.

• Astounding/Analog reported female readership of 6.7% in 1949 and 11.9% in 1958.

• British magazines Nebula and New Worlds reported 5-15% female readership in the 1950s and early 1960s.

• The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (F&SF) reported 29% female readership, paralleled by Analog in 1974 with 25%.

• Toronto convention had the highest ratio of women to men (Table 6).

Sex Distribution (Table 6 & Table a)

• Table a:

  • Male: 182 (64.54%) [(48.72%)]

  • Female: 98 (34.75%) [(51.28%)]

  • Unmarked: 2 (.71%)

  • Total: 282 (100.00%)

  • (Figures in brackets are for the general population)

Age Distribution of Science Fiction Readers

• Toronto convention data conforms to John W. Campbell's view that readers were young but not adolescent.

• Adolescent component is lower than the average from studies collected by Maine researchers.

• Travel to a convention is more difficult for younger fans, leading to under-representation.

• Smaller proportion of adolescents is balanced by a larger proportion of young adults (18-25).

• Magazine and convention audiences are dominated by young adults (18-35).

Age Distribution (Table 7)

• Berger-Toronto

  • 13-17: 22 (7.70%) [(7.8%)]

  • 18-25: 103 (36.39%) [(11.6%)]

  • 25-35: 116 (40.98%) [(12.3%)]

  • 35-55: 36 (12.72%) [(22.8%)]

  • 55-up: 5 (1.77%) [(19.0%)]

  • Total: 282 (99.56%)

Marital Status and Science Fiction Fandom

• Marital status is a significant indicator in SF fandom.

• Stereotype of isolated, adolescent male is inaccurate.

• High concentration of males in SF before the 1960s supported this image.

• Table 8 shows a concentration of single people.

• American population over 18 is largely married (74.8% men, 68.5% women).

• Among Americans born 1945-1954 (18-28 at the time of the convention), 67.2% of men and 40.9% of women were single.

• Concentration of single people at conventions results from youthful membership.

• Data reveal traditional family patterns.

• Lack of response in