View source for C(AUSE)SPLAY: A STUDY ON HOW ANIMES AFFECT THE SELF-PRESENTATION OF ANIME FANS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE A FAN COMMUNITY


(Raquedan, M. & Sto. Domingo, R. (2010). C(ause)splay: A Study on How Animes Affect the Self-presentation of Anime Fans Inside and Outside a Fan Community, Unpublished Undergraduate Thesis, University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication.)

ABSTRACT

This thesis examines the influence of animes on selected Filipino anime fans’ self-presentation in and outside a fan community by focusing on: (1) animes’ influence on the fans’ fashion, physical appearance, language, beliefs and preferences; (2) their anime-viewing patterns and motivations for viewing; (3) their motivations and gratifications they get by participating in fan activities (e.g., cosplay, online forums, etc.); (4) how their interaction in a fan community, specifically cosplay, influence self-presentation among fans, (5) how cosplayers present themselves a) in a fan group, and b) as an individual in a real-world setting; and (6) the factors that affect their self-presentation as individual fans. This study was developed with the help of Jenkin’s (1992) Conception of Fandom, Katz and Blumer’s (1974) Uses and Gratifications Theory, and Ting-Toomey et. al’s The Face Negotiation Theory. By having four (4) focus group discussions (FGDs) and eleven (11) focus interviews (FIs), choosing the informants through convenience, snowball, and stratified sampling, the researchers were able to come up with the conclusion that animes influence anime fans, cosplay-goers, and cosplayers in different aspects of their lives. Consistent with Jenkin’s conception of fandom, higher level anime fans express their fandom further in a community where they can interact with other fans, such as in cosplay conventions, online forums, friends and fan clubs. Anime fans are influenced by their interaction inside these communities. The fan community allow fans to behave like other fans do—behavior that some fans find difficult to apply in the real world. However, as exposure to a fan community increases, fans become more expressive in their fandom, as reflected in their distinct physical appearance. In effect, anime fans on higher levels of fandom incorporate anime influences into their personalities. 


[[category: CMC Thesis]][[Category: Student Paper]][[Category:Theses]]