Whether they lean towards Marvel, DC, or any other brand, fans will always be united by their love for the stories and characters they either grew up with or were just recently introduced to. Maria, who has been an amazing thesis advisor, I thank you all for helping me take a step towards my lifelong ambition to be my own superhero who can make a difference. Thematic analysis of the interviews shows that young fans apply values such as helpfulness, doing the right thing, caring for the well-being of others, optimism and perseverance.
On the other hand, the results of the observed online fan communities do not show any relevant data to answer the research questions because surveying the members was not part of the purpose of this study. Nevertheless, these same online groups have proven to be a place for free sharing of information about fandom. Overall, the findings suggest that superhero fandom is a context for the formation of values critical to positive youth development.
Introduction
Fan studies have been prevalent in recent times, especially since the emergence of fan groups across all contexts is evident. However, in contrast to sports and music, the science fiction and fantasy genre does not consistently receive as much attention when it comes to social science research. It is also unfortunate that fans of science fiction and fantasy genres are also subjected to unnecessary stereotypes that lead to the formation of derogatory comments towards their hobbies, the community of which they are a part, and even towards the members themselves (Cohen, Atwell, Anderson, & Tindage , 2015).
Despite the seemingly negative and stereotyped connotation, the excellent culture and benefits that the fantasy fandom offers cannot be denied due to the emerging studies proving all the remarkable benefits that fans gain from participating in the respective fandom. Now that these remarkable findings show the positive outcomes that fantasy fan groups provide, it is therefore necessary to shed more light on the impact of the growing community. In view of this, newer results will certainly show that fantasy fan groups can provide more than just entertainment.
Review of Related Literature
In relation to these conceptualizations, fan membership in a fantasy fandom can be said to be similar to that of a peer group. Given that this fanbase includes fiction, adolescent members get "lost" in the story and narrative. When adolescents become part of the aforementioned fandom, they are exposed to various social dynamics and mechanisms that lead them to certain values.
Initially, the constant reinforcement of heroic themes and principles found in the films and comics they consume becomes part of the priming process. How do the accepted values and the fandom itself, in the perspective of the adolescent, become useful in their personal life? Values - In his theory, Schwartz (1992) defines values as desirable and abstract goals that become guiding principles in the lives of people.
In this study, value formation was determined through questions that examined what values were adopted by adolescents, the means by which values were adopted, and the life implications of the adopted values. As qualified contestants, they are all part of the superhero for at least one year.
Methodology
Each has been a fan of the superhero genre for at least a year and an active consumer of related fans. During the duration of the study, the first group was composed of 5,344 members and had been in existence since 2015. During the actual data collection, an audio recording device was used to accurately note the important key points of what was discussed during the interviews.
For the observation of the online community, a computer device was used to monitor the flow of discussions within the said community. Finally, a debriefing was done so that the researcher can emphasize the purpose of the study and again ensure the confidentiality of the participants. In line with the observation of the online community, the researcher first coordinated with the group moderators, who were informed about the nature of the study.
After consent is given, the researcher made a daily observation of the interactions found in. The posts and comments were recorded word for word to ensure the authenticity of the data. The names of the original poster and the commenters were also included in the raw file, but were not used in the presentation of the results for confidentiality reasons.
In order to ensure the validity of the collected results, the written output was shown to the participants so that they can further check how true the data is according to their perspective and to determine if they capture the ideas and experiences that they really have . All the transcribed interviews were then coded accordingly by reviewing the sections that answer the research questions. At the end of the week, the researcher highlighted all relevant discussions that can capture the research problem.
Although the research procedures and the study concept itself seem promising, it is still necessary to highlight some methodological limitations to further improve future research.
Results
The responses of the participants define this value as the choice to do what is good and regardless of the circumstances in which a person finds himself. According to the responses of the participants, this particular value is defined as the urge to care for other people and to show care for them. Another respondent specifically reasoned how fan characters are able to care for the community because of the extraordinary abilities they have.
One participant noted how a character is able to remain positive despite the tragedies he faced. Once again, all responses came from interviews and no related data was found in the survey of online communities. Interestingly, another participant stated that one of the values she learned became stronger because of a superhero.
There's a part where all the Sinister Six fight him and he still finds a way to joke, still finds a way to make the most of that moment and really elevate himself. Participant responses show that fans also learn values through actual discussions that take place in person or online. It's worth noting that some comments show that fans also learn values in the superhero video games.
I actually played a lot of the Batman video games, and that made me have a closer relationship with him. The results show that adolescent fans can relate to the characters of the superhero fandom. This particular relevance in their lives involves the positive emotions they have because of the impact on them.
Among other shared insights, one participant shared how her values and fans helped her to be less shallow. One of the participants also pointed out that a famous character made him feel that he can do good with what he has. This second part of the results shows the flow of discussions within two online fan communities.
Discussion
Helpfulness, doing the right thing, caring for the well-being of others, optimism and perseverance are all classified as the main values that adolescent fans adopt when they are part of the superhero fandom. It is clear from the participants' self-report that what they do in their fandom helps them adopt the values they have learned. Along the lines of the discussion on the positive development of young people, the link with the context of the superhero fandom clearly shows the beneficial aspects that the fandom offers.
Thus, the impact of the values and fandom on adolescents' personal lives implies that their involvement in the fandom and what they adopt along the way can serve as developmental tools. In particular, the assets related to the positive values are those developed in the context of the fandom. In some cases, the superhero fandom can even be used as an alternative to meet young people who are still working on themselves.
However, it should be emphasized that the two online groups included in the study come from only one of the many social media platforms. Superheroes already appeal to different fans across multiple age groups, and the importance of values to them can vary. In this regard, both cross-sectional and longitudinal methods will strengthen the validity of value-related data.
Not only are superheroes a part of growing pop culture, but they have also become significant aspects of teenagers' lives. As compensation for your child's participation, he/she will be given a limited edition Star Wars tumbler at the end of the interview. Would you like to receive a copy of the survey results when it is finished.
All the information you provide will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and your responses will be used for academic purposes only. As a form of compensation for your participation, you will receive a limited edition Star Wars tumbler at the end of the interview. In turn, this thesis can help strengthen the conceptualization of the importance of youth value formation and shed light on the benefits of superhero fandom.
