A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Fictosexuality, Fictoromance, and Fictophilia: A Qualitative Study of Love and Desire for Fictional Characters
Authors: Karhulahti Veli-Matti, Välisalo Tanja
Publication year: 2021
Journal: Frontiers in Psychology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.575427
Web address : https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.575427
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/Publication/51250911
Fictosexuality, fictoromance, and fictophilia are terms that have recently become popular in online environments as indicators of strong and lasting feelings of love, infatuation, or desire for one or more fictional characters. This article explores the phenomenon by qualitative thematic analysis of 71 relevant online discussions. Five central themes emerge from the data: (1) fictophilic paradox, (2) fictophilic stigma, (3) fictophilic behaviors, (4) fictophilic asexuality, and (5) fictophilic supernormal stimuli. The findings are further discussed and ultimately compared to the long-term debates on human sexuality in relation to fictional characters in Japanese media psychology. Contexts for future conversation and research are suggested.
Downloadable publication This is an electronic reprint of the original article. |