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Current Research
The NSGCD is currently cunducting the following study:
NSGCD STUDY: AVOIDING KINESTHETIC SYMPATHY
Purpose of Study
To collect data on the effectiveness of using special techniques with clients to avoid kinetic sympathy.
Category Distinction
For the purpose of this study two distinctions will be made. These are the object category and the paper category. Organizers working in standing position with assorted objects such as clothing, books, magazines, and assorted household objects will be considered to be in the object category. For the purpose of this category, only data from organizers working in a standing position will be considered.
Organizers working with clients on sorting papers, magazines, and books, seated side by side at a desk or table will be considered to be in the paper category. For the purpose of this category, only data from organizers seated side by side with their clients will be considered.
Qualifying Survey Team Members
NSGCD - member professional organizers working with CD clients on paper and object issues.
Time Frame
- Survey Announced: April 2002
- Survey Conducted: May 1, 2002 - January 31, 2003
- Survey Deadline: Postmarked by February 1, 2003
- Results Tabulated: Mid-February 03 - March 03
- Survey Results Announced: April 2003
Origin of Survey
For the past few years, Terry Prince reports having success when using the" avoidance of kinesthetic sympathy "technique. See Judith Kolberg's book: What Every Professional Organizer Needs to Know about Chronic Disorganization, page 32. This technique has also been reported to be successful by other NSGCD members working with CD clients' papers and objects.
While working with an established CD client on organizing her papers using "avoidance ¨of kinesthetic sympathy" technique, the client asked organizing consultant, Terry Prince if she, the client, could hold something. Prince had her hold a ceramic coffee mug and noticed less resistance than when she had the client hold nothing. Her client was extremely tactile, and very particular about how things physically felt to her. The ceramic mug was an item that the client preferred over the others available to her. No beverage was in the mug at the time when Prince used this technique.
Because of the success of processing papers with less noticeable kinetic sympathy, Prince suggested this survey be conducted with NSGCD members who are professional organizers. A variety of variables were possible and so the category distinctions (as listed previously) were created. The theory to be tested is that individuals sorting objects may prefer a non-emotional item other than those items in the vicinity of the sorting area. Using an item located within the sorting area may be emotionally suggestive and therefore not a good test of the theory. Organizers working in the paper category will need to utilize a mug, drinking glass, or metal or plastic tumbler from the client's household or work area which should not have significant emotional attachment or sentiment to it. Styrofoam, disposable plastic, or paper cups should not be used due to their malleability.
The ProcessPaper Category
The NSGCD will ask organizers who work with CD clients at their desks (dealing with paper issues only) to use the kinetic avoidance process by asking the client to hold a mug, drinking glass or plastic or metal tumbler as a distracting device while working together.Object Category
Organizers dealing with objects should have clients select a mug or drinking glass, or plastic or metal tumbler from their household or work area which has no significant emotional reminder attached to it and ask them to give it to the organizer before starting to actively work on the organizing process. The organizer should give back the mug or glass when beginning the avoiding- kinesthetic-sympathy phase. Organizers should inform clients up front that they are using a special technique or process. This will avoid excessive conversation or distraction with the process or during its onset. It is not necessary or required to inform the client that the organizer is doing a survey about the success or results of using this process. Organizers should complete this survey including client gender and age range, each time they work with a CD client on either paper or objects using the avoidance of kinesthetic technique. No client names are to be used. This survey should not be completed in front of the client but should be completed within 24 hours of serving the client to maintain the informationĂs integrity. The survey should take no more than 5 minutes to complete. Members may include several surveys in one envelope. Ongoing mailings will aid in the survey tabulating process. However, no early results will be announced. Additional survey forms may be downloaded from the NSGCD website or photocopied from the survey form attached to this package.
Mail completed survey to:NSGCD-Survey AKS, PO Box 1990, Elk Grove, CA 95759
Must be completed by January 31, 2003 and postmarked by February 1, 2003