iolanda tortajada, núria araüna
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TRANSCRIPT
Social networking sites and love socialisation.
The case of Fotolog
Iolanda Tortajada, Núria Araüna
Rovira i Virgili University
OUR PROJECT FOCUSES ON:
-GENDER & MEDIA
-LOVE SOCIALISATION PROCESSES
-MEDIA AS SUPER PEER IN SEXUAL ISSUES (ALSO SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES)
-DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION vs POPULARITY
Fotolog entries from
400 different users
Spanish teenagers / self-portray
(Snowball sample)
Fotolog albums from 18 users
Teenagers with 100+ pics per album
Data gathering: Fotolog
Methodology
I. Specific Fotolog interaction
II. ‘To-be-looked-at-ness’
III. Hyper-ritualisation
IV. Sexual and affective relationship models (traditional vs alternative)
Critical Communicative Methodology (Gómez, Latorre,
Sánchez, Flecha: 2006)].
CATEGORIES OF ANALYSIS
Results and conclusions
I. Self-representation
1. SEXUALISED
REPRESENTATIONS
Teenagers make sexualised self-
representations, both through the
usernames they choose (20% of
our sample) and through the
pictures they post (40% pose in
sexy clothing)
‘Sexy’ usernames: Girls: put_it_in_me_smoothly do_me_wildly make_me_feel_yours visual_pleasure do_me_in_public Boys: meet_me_on_my_bed doesn't_fit_in_your_hand single_and_no_commitment I'll_set_you_on_fire I've_got_what_you_want condomless_night
2. GENDER
DIFFERENCES
Male users tend to portray themselves in active
poses, surrounded by objects that underscore their
power or position in a peer group
Women tend to focus their attention on beauty and
intimacy, while usually stressing how important their
(girl)friends and peer group are to them
I. Self-representation
Girls: ‘To-be-looked-at’-ness, implying a passive exhibitionist female [body], made to give pleasure to an active male spectator (Mulvey)
II. Male gaze
Both girls’ and boys’ poses reflect advertisement gender expressions
III. Hyper-ritualisation
Calvin Klein Fotolog
TRADITIONAL MODEL Recurring patterns:
Passion/Violence Love as destiny Dependence and self-
sacrifice Negative feelings
ALTERNATIVE MODEL -Positive feelings towards boyfriends/girlfriends who are supportive - Solidarity (vs competition) among girls
IV. Relationship models
‘I love you more than anything, more than anything I can think of. I love you when you insult me and when you push me and when you are angry at me. I love you when, once you’re finished yelling at me, you hug me and you tell me I’m your whole life’ (Female addressing male)
‘Thanks for listening to me baby ☺ you are really top, I mean it. (Comment between girlfriends)
self-portraits body-parts
friends significant other
• Feminine touch • Ritualisation of
subordination • Licensed withdrawal • To-be-looked-at-ness
• Sexual subjects • Pleasing ourselves
• Lesbian pose
V. Hyper-ritualisation (qual.)
•Feminine touch •Ritualisation of subordination •Licensed withdrawal •To-be-looked-at-ness •Sexual subjects •Pleasing ourselves •Lesbian pose
Goffman, Gender
Advertisements. 1979. Fotolog.
• Feminine touch • Ritualisation of
subordination • Licensed withdrawal • To-be-looked-at-ness
• Sexual subjects • Pleasing ourselves
• Lesbian pose
Goffman, Gender
Advertisements. 1979.
Fotolog.
• Feminine touch • Ritualisation of
subordination • Licensed withdrawal • To-be-looked-at-ness
• Sexual subjects • Pleasing ourselves
• Lesbian pose
Goffman, Gender
Advertisements. 1979.
Fotolog.
•Sexual subjects
To-be-looked-at-ness
• Lesbian pose
• Coherence over time
Self-portrayal
• Coherence over time • Sexualisation &
individualisation • Code control • Reproducing traditional values
the supermodel the languid romantic the trash chic girl
Media as superpeer Gender perspective * Risk perception/media practices…
Conclusions
Thanks for your
attention!
Iolanda Tortajada, Núria Araüna (URV)
Cilia Willem, Lucrezia Crescenzi (UB)
Itxaso Tellado (UVic)