Para-kin relationships between fans and you will idols: good qualitative analysis away from fans’ motivations for buying idol-dolls

Mission

The purpose of this research is to consider exactly how “mommy fans” effect on the present models off parasocial matchmaking ranging from fans and you will idols also to obtain greater information towards motivations underlying the brand new purchase of idol dolls. Concurrently, of the for instance the skills and point of views away from male idol fans, the research seeks in order to broaden this new knowledge of enthusiast conclusion and you can promote understanding of the brand new motives driving idol-doll use.

Design/methodology/approach

Getting idol-doll buyers due to the fact browse stuff, this research conducted textual data and also in-breadth interview to understand more about fans’ motives for buying idol dolls.

Findings

Idol toy purchases try driven of the psychological accessory, instance certainly mom fans exactly who seek to establish a feeling of manage and sustain a mother–child matchmaking. On the other hand, to shop for idol dolls may also serve as a beneficial disguise having girlfriend fans to hide their romantic goals about their idols. Moreover, idol dolls serve as semiotic identifiers, drawing for example-minded admirers and you can gaining society identification. It must be indexed you to definitely men idol fans, that are thought deviant about masculine normative, deal with analysis inside feminine-reigned over communities, needing after that proof of credibility.

Basic implications

This study produces understanding the reasons trailing idol-toy orders and will help marketers into the providing on the psychological need out-of admirers, for example mother admirers, from the creating and you may sale dolls one resonate with regards to desired feel off accessory.

Personal implications

By accepting and you may emphasizing the good areas of lover activities, this study contributes to the fresh lingering process of de–demonization and you will normalization away from fandom. Simultaneously, this research including tries so you can contribute to a full knowledge of the struggles and mental need of the Chinese younger generation.

Originality/really worth

This study explores brand new less than-researched mom-lover group’s psychological means as well as their motivations of shopping for idol-dolls. It also acknowledges the brand new line of perspectives and event out-of male idol fans, delivering a new and you may novel thoughts to your idol-toy application.

step one Introduction

“ tabindex=“0″> based on celebrities’ appearance were sold since another function to own Chinese fans to share with you its strong affection for their beloved idols, resulting in the manufacture of a special Chinese fandom neighborhood. Towards Weibo (one of the most prominent social networking systems in Asia), the internet community to have idol-doll-creators, customers, and you can idol admirers now has obtained more than 460,000 supporters that will be extremely female-ruled. About this system, extremely common enthusiasts, who’s got a massive type of idol dolls, to create lovable photographs and you will express the experiences inside the dressing and using cosmetics to their “infants.” According to the latest individual statement, one of many idol-toy users, the new article-2000 generation stands for the greatest proportion, interacting with 43 %, followed by the latest blog post-1995 age bracket ranks second, which have an amount in the twenty-six % (“2021 Cotton Doll Participants Sense Report” 2021). Thus, Age group Z, some body, somebody created amongst the later 90s and very early 2010s (Priporas ainsi que al. 2020), positively activates having idol-doll purchases because of interactive social media platforms.

Throughout the day and age away from participatory fandom and you may partner discount, fans’ practices preferences as well as their perceived connection with idols have become subjects out of instructional lookup. The way in which admirers interact with celebs could have been defined as parasocial interaction-the newest nonreciprocal, fictional communications ranging from fans and news personae (Liebers and you may Schramm 2019; Yan and Yang 2021). In recent times, fans actively getting into the fresh parasocial dating fantasize regarding the a virtually kinship having idols, assuming that they could control, or perhaps features an obvious degree of affect their idols. For the Chinese social network, there can be a trend in which admirers, especially women, reference on their own given that idols’ parents, aunts, otherwise sisters. When you’re past research has commonly checked-out parasocial relationships based on heterosexual norms and you can fans’ romantic goals regarding the idols (we.age., “girlfriend/wife admirers” out-of idols), nothing might have been understood about “mother fans”,“Mommy fans,” refer to fans (typically female fans) who’re co-fostering idols/famous people sexiga guams-flickor as their elder female relatives. They do say on their own due to the fact mom of one’s idol and are indulgent so you’re able to idols, getting all of them because adorable, innocent kids who are in need of the special care (Yan and you will Yang 2021).