Author(s)

Xinran Li ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ Beijing 21st Century International School, 100036, Beijing, China

Corresponding Author

Xinran Li

ABSTRACT

With the global spread of Nijigen culture and the mature development of the otome game industry, the "Dream Girl" phenomenon, as an important component of youth subculture, has gradually entered the public eye. This study focuses on the impact of otome games on the psychology of teenage Dream Girls. Through concept definition, mechanism analysis, and effect evaluation, it systematically explores how otome games provide a transitional space for emotional healing and self-exploration for adolescents through emotional compensation mechanisms (compensation for sense of security and control, compensation for idealized relationships, compensation for self-identity and subjectivity) and social psychological functions (low-risk social practice, community belongingness construction, social support and emotional resonance). However, it may also lead to negative impacts such as social avoidance, cognitive bias, and irrational consumption. Based on this, this study proposes a collaborative intervention strategy of "personal self-regulation + social diversified support", which not only enriches the theoretical research dimension of virtual intimate relationships but also promotes and guides adolescents to balance virtual entertainment and real-life growth.

KEYWORDS

Nijigen culture; Dream girl psychology; Otome game; Adolescent growth

CITE THIS PAPER

Xinran Li. Research on the Impact of Nijigen Culture on the Psychological State of Dream Girls Taking Otome Games as an Example. Journal of Sociology and Ethnology (2026). Vol. 8, No. 2, 132-137. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/jsoce.2026.080218.

REFERENCES

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[2] Peiyu Zhai. "A Study on Fan Culture of Otome Games from the Perspective of Participatory Culture". Master's Thesis, Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University, 2025. 
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[5] Xuewei Wang. "Emotion and Ritual: A Study on the Interactive Behaviors of Female Players in Otome Games". Master's Thesis, Zhejiang University of Media and Communications, 2023. 
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[7] Yunzhen Han. "Intimate Relationships and Emotional Consumption: A Media Sociology Study Based on "Dream Girl" ". Today's Mass Media, vol.33, no.12, pp.115-119, 2025. 
[8] Jun Wang, Yixiao Li. "The Motivation, Representation, Concerns and Guidance of Emotional Consumption for Female Gamers - Taking "Love and the Deep Sky" as an Example". Journal of Langfang Normal University(Social Sciences Edition), vol.1, pp.11, 2025. 
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