What does ‘ doing research ‘ mean to you ?

I don't have much else to add to what's already been said, but yeah soul-searching and documentation then traditional research is what I'd say. If I didn't look animals up at all, I don't think I would have found my kintype. After I had taken a lot of notes and reflected on them I didn't know any animals that matched what I was feeling. However, it was really helpful to be able to look back on my journal for notes/experiences to help stay true to myself when googling animals.

This is relevant (and supposedly useful):

(2020-08-16 10:26)DustWolf Wrote:  

(2020-06-25 16:15)GhostofSolitude Wrote:  What, in your opinion, seperates a strong love for a species vs actually being kin to that species?

To me Therianthropy doesn't actually have anything to do with the animal. My Therianthropy is the experiences I get and this is what I struggle to explain. The animal connection is the explanation I opt for.

I think the mistake is to go out of your way looking for animals that might fit you. It's easy to feel empathy for animals (especially ones you like) and no doubt you will find a connection if you look for it (after all, we are literately related to animals) -- but that is not helpful. The more sensible approach is to look at the experiences you have and try to find an explanation for them. That explanation doesn't have to involve Therianthropy, or a particular animal, you gotta be honest with yourself.

LP,
Dusty

For me reaserch is either reading books or articles about Black Panthers or cats.I also go to the local zoo and reconnect with the feline species that I identify with watching them interact with other or seeing them play around is really fun.

Looking on the internet, asking around, being curious overrall.

Then again, curiosity killed the cat, and I am a cat of sorts.

Oops.

Tough question.

Years of struggle = the first thing that comes to mind.
1 Observation. Looking at oneself from the outside in. Ask yourself the question: if you were allowed to one day meet yourself in the flesh, what would your first impression be?
2 Analysis. What did I just experience? Does it match with either human behavior rather than an animal's? What animal would that be? I always thought of myself as someone who had an efficient memory. It definitely comes in handy when you analyze and look for patterns in your behavior.
While it is best to keep an open mind, it's also a question of being honest and real to yourself. Don't expect everything to be an animal experience, because that's just wishful thinking. Ask yourself whether humans can experience it, too.
3 Put it to the test. Compare. Meet other therians with a similar theriotype. People who are experienced, and that's not just the pun at play here, are often the best role-models.

And those points aside, I must say that even that won't suffice in your journey. There are no guidelines. Identity is a vague construct of the mind. Looking from afar, even identity can be used as a way to shove people into boxes. Think broadly. Remain honest to yourself and don't think one experience that is animal-like will define you. After all, human beings are mammals, too, and therefore, exhibit traits that can be found in other animals as well.

I think the your description was simple and to the point.

Self analyse to work out what makes you different, behaviours nd feelings that aren't human. Research different animals or myths to narrow it down.
I think it'd also important to keep re analysing, you grow and develop. What you though you were first may not be how you end up.

(2020-10-18 8:36)DustWolf Wrote:  This is relevant (and supposedly useful):

(2020-08-16 10:26)DustWolf Wrote:  

(2020-06-25 16:15)GhostofSolitude Wrote:  What, in your opinion, seperates a strong love for a species vs actually being kin to that species?

To me Therianthropy doesn't actually have anything to do with the animal. My Therianthropy is the experiences I get and this is what I struggle to explain. The animal connection is the explanation I opt for.

I think the mistake is to go out of your way looking for animals that might fit you. It's easy to feel empathy for animals (especially ones you like) and no doubt you will find a connection if you look for it (after all, we are literately related to animals) -- but that is not helpful. The more sensible approach is to look at the experiences you have and try to find an explanation for them. That explanation doesn't have to involve Therianthropy, or a particular animal, you gotta be honest with yourself.

LP,
Dusty

this is real.

To me it means looking back to my shift experiences and my behavior in general or on a certain place. Shifts helped me a lot to get an idea about my horse theriotype and past experiences of my bird theriotype. once i looked at animal with similar characteristics i started looking at which exact animal of that kind felt right and made sure to watch videos, read documents or human to animal experiences towards this animal. I feel like my bird theriotype had been with me for a very very long time even before i knew that animal existed and my horse came a bit later which was probably due to the environment i've been to that just made me feel at home.. nowadays doing research for means mostly looking up documentary films or just simply drawing and studying the anatomy

For me, doing research is digging into myself, my experiences, how life has affected me, how I see life through my eyes. To write down any experiences I've had, try to explain them and why they're there or happen. What may cause it (like shifts, mental state, etc). I want to rationalize it all but also for the things that stick, I want to see and learn about what I not only connect to but what I could possibly be that matches up to me, even if I've never learned, heard or read about other creatures/animals. I want to always question myself, take notes on what changes or sticks, what feels right. At the end of it all, if I end up not identifying as Therian/otherkin or otherhearted/kith, then I at least got to learn more about myself in the end.

My favorite ways are to journal, taking time to look through my life, draw and notes about it, myself and any changes. Have any shifts occurred, changed, etc.? Watching documentaries, asking questions, reading different books, articles, speaking with a therapist, bouncing ideas/questions of of each other, is it to do with a traumatic experience, a disability or something along those lines (like autism, depression, etc), just being alone with nature and keeping track of how I feel and think.

Research for me is looking inside myself, first. I thought I was a wolf at first because of how much I loved them. But When I found I was a therian, I took a step back from finding my 'type' and tried to learn myself first.

I did a lot of looking internally and journaled to keep track of my habits and behaviours and traits. This research can affect finding your type! After I had a good understanding of myself, I tried to apply it to other animals. Shifts (if you experience them) can sometimes be enough to narrow down your type, like for my I had very canine/doglike phantom and mental shifts. But lots of canine act similar.

So that's when I do some external research, I'm looking at dog breeds and suddenly I find the Shiloh Shepherd, a dog breed I didn't know existed. I found they and I share a lot within personality, vocals, and phantom shifting. Even my mental self image looked exactly like one.

In short research doesn't have to mean looking at animals and their behaviors, watching doccumentaries, reading about them, etc. It can be useful, but only if you know yourself first. Don't let outside sources make you relate to animals just because you found a new one you think is cool and unique.

Best of luck,
~Fernweh