Normality... the final frontier

They've been the object of ridicule, of mockery, of outright scorn. Trekkies, the enthusiastic fans of the television show Star Trek, have also been the object of serious psychological scrutiny. Sandy Wolfson, Ph.D., of the University of Northumbria in England, has administered her Star Trek Addiction Revealer, or STAR, to several hundred Trekkies. Most score in the "moderately addicted" range, but 5 to 10 percent of the respondents fit the psychological criteria for extreme addiction: they crave the experience of watching Star Trek, feel euphoric while viewing the show, and suffer withdrawal when they miss an episode. Despite the potential psychic dangers of being a Star Trek fan, Wolfson claims that for most people, the hobby is a positive one, offering relaxing entertainment, mental stimulation, and even friendship and romance for those who attend Star Trek conventions. These meetings make Trekkies "feel like part of a community," says Wolfson. "The conventions show them that, far from being an oddball, they are actually a normal person in good company."