Construction of Motherhood in Social Media: Representation, Expectations and Self-Conception in the Light of Self-professionalization

社交媒体中母性的建构：自我职业化背景下的表征、期望和自我构想

• 批准号: 513716668
• 负责人: Professorin Dr. Claudia Wegener
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Studiengang Medienwissenschaft
• 依托单位国家: 德国
• 项目类别: Research Grants
• 资助国家: 德国
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/513716668?language=en
• 关键词: Construction; Motherhood; Social; Media; Representation

The research project aims to understand the production of meaning of social roles – here in relation to motherhood – through a social constructivist approach. In a digitalized society the research assumes that the image of motherhood is constructed by the media. Therefore, it does not only influence the “Mumfluencers” in their activities but is equally relevant the (role) self-image of those who are indirectly involved in the production as commentators and thus participants. Available studies suggest that the media offer orientation functions during an increasing individualization of lifeworlds and family forms. Accordingly, it can be assumed that the digital image portals like Instagram used by (young) women are helping to shape their self-image as mothers - especially in view of the growing popularity of so called "mumfluencers" who specifically emphasize their motherhood online. The research perspective understands motherhood as a production process ("Doing Motherhood"). Consequently, we use a multi-method design, which aims to simultaneously highlight and question role models who are constructed by the media. This is done first by analyzing the staging of female actors on Instagram. Measured by terms of reach, users popularity are included to understand which image of motherhood finds resonance and to what extent this is associated with increasing self-professionalization, understood as an orientation towards marketing and the advertising industry. A survey of active "mumfluencers" suggests challenges for female producers and how they reflect on their role while publishing motherhood. The analysis of the comments makes it clear which narratives are negotiated and appreciated by the community. In summary the results can show whether and to what extent the increasing self-professionalization of popular female actors leads to a role model that promotes normative expectations of motherhood - and what scope is opened for negotiating motherhood. The project can thus tie in with existing international studies on the topic and can close an existing research gap through its constructivist approach. A reflection on media narratives of motherhood seems more necessary because motherhood is currently confronted with manifold, divergent, sometimes standardized and backward-looking demands and expectations. This sense of a re-traditionalization is especially visible in the current public discourse.

该研究项目旨在通过社会建构主义方法理解社会角色意义的产生-这里是指与母亲身份有关的社会角色。在数字化社会中，研究假设母亲的形象是由媒体构建的。因此，它不仅影响“Mumfluencers”在他们的活动，但同样相关的（角色）的自我形象，那些间接参与生产的评论员，从而参与者。现有的研究表明，在生活世界和家庭形式日益个性化的过程中，媒体提供了导向功能。因此，可以认为，（年轻）妇女使用的Instagram等数字图像门户网站正在帮助塑造她们作为母亲的自我形象-特别是考虑到所谓的“妈妈流媒体人”越来越受欢迎，他们在网上特别强调自己的母亲身份。研究视角将母性理解为一个生产过程（“做母亲”）。因此，我们使用了多方法设计，旨在同时突出和质疑媒体构建的角色模型。这是通过分析女性演员在Instagram上的舞台表演来完成的。通过覆盖范围来衡量，用户的受欢迎程度被包括在内，以了解哪种母亲形象能引起共鸣，以及在多大程度上这与日益增长的自我专业化有关，这种自我专业化被理解为面向营销和广告业。一项对活跃的“妈妈读者”的调查表明了女性制作人面临的挑战，以及她们在出版母性时如何反思自己的角色。对评论的分析清楚地表明，哪些叙述是经过协商的，并得到社区的赞赏。总之，研究结果可以表明，越来越多的受欢迎的女性演员的自我专业化是否以及在多大程度上导致了一个榜样，促进规范的期望，母亲和什么范围是开放的谈判母性。因此，该项目可以与国际上关于这一专题的现有研究相结合，并可以通过其建构主义方法缩小现有的研究差距。似乎更有必要反思媒体对母性的叙述，因为母性目前面临着多种多样的、不同的、有时是标准化的和向后看的要求和期望。这种再传统化的感觉在当前的公共话语中尤其明显。