REPRESENTATIONS OF NATIONALITY & ONLINE DATING PROFILES

A.M. HolappaEuropean Popular Culture Association Annual Conference EUPOP 2014,

University of the Arts,London

July 29th – 31st 2014

Nationality – ethnic nationality

Homogeneous for a long time - Finnish as a mother tongue 89,3% (4 869 362)*- Swedish as a mother tongue 5,3 % (290 910)- Sami as a mother tongue 0,04% (1930)- Other languages: 5,36%

* Statistics Finland, 1.1.2014

SISU – being tough and hard working

SISU – can handle the extreme weather

going to sauna all naked

boozing quiet personalities unless they are drunk

stereotypes

SISU – can handle the extreme situations

STEREOTYPES

Stereotypes are everyday thinking and then hardly useful in academic research, many think.

But they are useful if the research is concentrated in everyman´s own constructions of their own features.

Stereotypes being well known are at least one influence in those constructions.

RESEARCH QUESTION

What kind of features of Finnish nationality or stereotypes are to be discovered in Finnish online dating profiles?

That is in the context of highlighting oneself as an ideal (Finnish) spouse.

THE RESEARCH DATA 

The research data contained

a)920 semi-structured online dating ad texts, collected in 2012 and

b)600 online dating ad profile pictures collected in January 2014

from Finnish online dating service site

Both men (60%) and women (40%)

THE RESEARCH DATA 

Data was limited to dating advertisements where heterosexual True Love was sought

->

heterosexuality is a choice made by the company seeker

man looking for a woman

woman looking for a man

RESEARCH

Results were gathered by close reading and categorizing the content of the data.

Interpretation from the point of being the member of the same culture

M 20-30

M 31-40

M 41-50

M 51-100

F 20-30

F 31-40

F 41-50

F 51-100

Quiet / Shy

16 8 3 1 18 6

Ethnicity 11 10 4 2 5 6 4 3

Nature / Cottage

22 31 32 16 15 19 9 13

Sisu 4 3 3 2

Finnish culture

12 21 20 9 10 16 7 5

MARIA HEDMAN: MUMMO LUMESSA (OIL PAINTING, 2013) HTTP://WWW.TAIDESIVUT.NET/ARTOBJECT/VIEW/ID/3227

1 % Sisu – courage – self-will

Eteenpäin, sanoi mummo lumessa.

On we go, said the grandma in the snow (Female 28 yrs)- Dealing with difficulties - Not giving up- Being determined - Hard working - What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

PHOTO: HTTP://WWW.HS.FI/KULTTUURI/ARTIKKELI/KALEVA

LAA+JAPANISSA/HS20040228SI1KU02CKS

5 % ethnicity/nationality mentioned

Suomityttö! Olet maailman kaunein ja suloisin! Missä olet?

Finnish girl! You are the most beautiful and the sweetest in the world! Where are you? (Male 34 yrs)-Ordinary, normal – nothing

special-Next door neighbor girl,

country girl

- Honest, reliable, genuine (man)

- Finnish culture, Finnish values

PHOTO: HTTP://STORE-XKCD-COM.MYSHOPIFY.COM/PRODUCTS/JUST-SHY

6% shy

Mutta olen todella ujo lähestymään naisia (tuntemattomia) esim. baarissa.

But I´m really shy with meeting any (new) women at the pub. (Male 37 yrs)

- at first, but then…

- shy, but in the right company…

- shy, but SO warm hearted

- shy, but it is normal in the beginning-shy, and that´s why I´m here

9 % referring to Finnish culture

Paras tapa rentoutua: sauna, olut, puhtaat lakanat.

The best way to relax: sauna, beer, clean sheets. (Female 50 yrs)-Sauna & beer

(ice) swimming

grilling / good food-Traditional food: Carelian Stew; Sautéed Reindeer- Old proverbs

PHOTO: HTTP://WWW.MTV.FI/JOKAKOTI/MINISAITIT/ARTIKKELI.SHTML/2010/05/1114050?ASUMINEN/AJANKOHTAISTA

17% nature – countryside – cottage life

Pidän yksinäisistä, jylhistä metsistä. Usvan noususta lammen ylle.

 I like lonely wild forests. Mist rising above the water. (Female 28 yrs)- Relaxing - Hunting - Fishing - Swimming - Skiing- Boating - Picking berries and mushrooms- Bird watching - Taking photos - Hiking

According to Statistics Finland, there were

499 000 free-time residences in Finland

at the end of 2013

PROFILE PICTURES- Facial or half up images- Selfies ~ 50%- Realistic, no manipulation- Taken at home ~ 17%- Taken in the nature ~ 7%

The Finnish touch?- Sisu- Ethnicity- Shy - Tradition and culture- Nature

SUMMARY /PHOTOS

Finnish online dating profile photos seek to honesty

* most of the photos are about the company seeker him/herself

* taken at home, wearing jeans & t-shirt (everyday situation)

* eye contact (and smile): invitation to communication – also sign of honesty

* no major photo manipulation (< 5%)

* signs of Finnish culture; mostly nature

connection

FINNISH USE COMMON NATIONAL STEREOTYPES IN SOME EXTENT FOR DESCRIBING THEMSELVES AND GIVING THE CERTAIN IMAGE OF

THEIR PERSONALITY.

THANK YOU!

anmahol@utu.fi