VALS Results

My primary VALS result turned out to be experiencer. I think that this category fits me very well. This group is called impulsive and self-expressive. These two characteristics match my personality well. Some purchases that I make are very impusive. About a month ago I walked into Wal-Mart with my friends just to look around and I walked out with a 40 inch Sony television. If that is not impulsive, I don't know what is. Self-expression is also very important to me. I am constantly online looking for new clothes that will make me stand out from the crowd. I like when people stop me to look at the shirt I am wearing on a night out. It also amazed me that the description said that this group's outlets are exercise, sports, outdoor recreation, and social activities which completely parallel my outlets.
My secondary VALS result turned out to be Achiever. I don't think that this category fit me quite as much mut it had some characteristics that matched my personality. "With many wants and needs, Achievers are active in the consumer marketplace. Image is important to Achievers; they favor established, prestige products and services that demonstrate success to their peers." This quote seems to fit my personality. I have goals already that I srtive to achieve and that motivate me in school. I want to have the biggest and the best and I am going to need to accomplish a lot to achieve that. One difference is that I feel that I am a risk taker and this group values predictability.

PRIZM

My family cluster is my street circle in Stoughton, Massachusetts. When I was very young my parents moved from a larger house on a busy street to a smaller house in a nice neighborhood. I would consider it to be "Kids and Cul-de-sacs." The neighborhood was full of kids who's ages matched up with myself and my siblings. It kept us safe and away from danger. The neighborhood was mostly upper middle class families with children. My father works in Boston as the president of the zoo. My mother is a teacher at an elementry school in my town. It is strange now to go home and see the next generation of kids playing in the street just like I used to do when I was young.

Identity

My possession that is closely tied to my sense of identity is my Xbox 360. This video game system represents everything that I enjoy in life all from the comfort of my own couch. After a trying day of school, nothing makes me happier than to sit down and play a video game with my roommates for an hour or two. I have games that cater to all of my interests. If I am in an athletic mood, I have several sports games that I love to play and they remind me of my high school days where I used to compete in these sports that I love. If I feel competitive or angry, I have shooting games where I can take out my frusterations of the day on other players throughout the world. The system allows me to communicate and play with friends who have all gone to different places and it makes me feel closer to the, even if I am just talking to them through a microphone. The system also reminds me of my brother as we both grew up playing video games with one another.
Video games put me in a comfort zone because I am very good at them and I enjoy winning at things very much. I identify heavily with the system and with other gamers because it is something I like to do and be good at.