Para-kin dating anywhere between admirers and you may idols: a qualitative analysis away from admirers’ motives for buying idol-dolls
Purpose
The objective of this study is to check just how “mother fans” influence on current patterns out-of parasocial dating between fans and you can idols in order to gain deeper understanding on the motives underlying new acquisition of idol dolls. While doing so, from the like the event and point of views out of men idol fans, the research seeks to broaden new comprehension of partner behavior and you may increase understanding of the new reasons operating idol-doll consumption.
Design/methodology/strategy
Taking idol-toy consumers just like the look objects, this research presented textual investigation plus in-breadth interview to understand more about fans’ motivations for buying idol dolls.
Findings
Idol toy instructions are driven by the mental accessory, like certainly one of mommy admirers which seek to establish a sense of control and keep a mother or father–youngster matchmaking. On top of that, buying idol dolls can also serve as an effective disguise getting girlfriend admirers to full cover up the intimate aspirations about their idols. More over, idol dolls act as semiotic identifiers, drawing eg-inclined fans and you may gaining people recognition. It must be noted you to men idol admirers, that happen to be experienced deviant regarding masculine normative, face analysis inside the feminine-controlled teams, wanting further proof of authenticity.
Practical ramifications
This study encourages understanding the interracial dating central mobil reasons at the rear of idol-toy instructions and can assist marketers within the catering for the psychological needs from fans, instance mother fans, because of the making and selling dolls one resonate with the wanted feel away from accessory.
Societal ramifications
From the recognizing and you may focusing on the positive areas of enthusiast affairs, this study contributes to new constant procedure of de-demonization and you will normalization out of fandom. While doing so, this study as well as aims in order to subscribe a far more complete facts of your own struggles and you will mental demands of your Chinese more youthful age bracket.
Originality/really worth
This research explores new less than-explored mommy-partner group’s mental demands and their motivations of buying idol-dolls. Moreover it understands brand new collection of point of views and skills out-of men idol admirers, delivering a fresh and you will book opinion into the idol-doll practices.
1 Introduction
” tabindex=”0″> considering celebrities’ appearances was indeed sold since the an alternative setting for Chinese fans to fairly share the solid passion for their dear idols, leading to producing a different Chinese fandom neighborhood. On the Weibo (perhaps one of the most common social network programs in China), the net area to own idol-doll-creators, consumers, and you may idol fans now has amassed more 460,000 followers and that’s extremely feminine-controlled. With this program, extremely common for fans, who’s an enormous collection of idol dolls, to publish adorable photos and you may share their event in the dressing and you can using cosmetics on the “infants.” According to the current individual statement, one of many idol-doll users, the newest post-2000 age group means the best proportion, getting 43 %, followed by the post-1995 age bracket positions next, that have a percentage during the twenty six % (“2021 Thread Doll Professionals Understanding Declaration” 2021). Ergo, Age bracket Z, individuals, someone created within late 90s as well as the very early 2010s (Priporas ainsi que al. 2020), earnestly activates having idol-toy sales as a result of entertaining social media platforms.
Throughout the point in time of participatory fandom and you can partner benefit, fans’ usage tastes in addition to their seen experience of idols have become victims out-of informative research. Ways fans connect to stars might have been defined as parasocial interaction-the new nonreciprocal, fictional communication ranging from admirers and media personae (Liebers and you can Schramm 2019; Yan and you can Yang 2021). In recent years, fans definitely engaging in brand new parasocial relationships dream in the an almost kinship having idols, if they might control, or at least features an obvious level of effect on the idols. Into the Chinese social networking, there can be a development where fans, especially ladies, refer to on their own due to the fact idols’ parents, aunts, or siblings. When you find yourself past studies have commonly examined parasocial relationship based on heterosexual norms and you will fans’ romantic desires throughout the idols (we.age., “girlfriend/partner fans” off idols), nothing could have been recognized in the “mother fans”,“Mother fans,” refer to fans (generally female admirers) that are co-fostering idols/famous people as his or her older women family unit members. It is said on their own as mommy of your own idol and are indulgent to help you idols, bringing them as precious, innocent students who require the special care (Yan and you may Yang 2021).