Representation of Cultural Messages of Divorce Celebrations on Instagram
Subject Areas : Research on Iranian social issues
Faezeh Taghipour
1
,
AILAR BAYANI SHAHRI
2
1 - Associate Professor, Department of Communication Sciences, Faculty of Marketing and Business, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran.
2 - Ph.D Student, Department of Communication Sciences, Faculty of Marketing and Business, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran.
Keywords: Divorce Celebration, End of Marital Relationship, Display of Independence, Instagram, Display of Personal Empowerment.,
Abstract :
Content Analysis of Messages and Comments on Divorce Celebrations from a Cultural Perspective on Instagram
Faezeh Taghipour*
Ailar Bayani Shahri **
This study was conducted to analyze the content of messages and comments related to divorce celebrations from a cultural perspective on Instagram in January 2025. The research adopted a qualitative approach utilizing content analysis. Posts related to divorce celebrations on Instagram were examined. The data collection tool involved creating a checklist of Instagram posts. Purposive sampling based on specific criteria was employed, with eleven samples selected, and sampling continued until data saturation was achieved. The profiles of individuals who celebrated their divorce and shared images of these celebrations on Instagram were analyzed. The overall findings indicate that divorce celebrations on Instagram are a growing phenomenon, shared with the aim of enhancing self-awareness and self-confidence following the end of a marital relationship. Many posts contained positive messages about new beginnings and personal freedom. Additionally, the analysis revealed that these celebrations are more prevalent among women, who use them to display independence and personal empowerment.
Keywords: Divorce Celebration, End of Marital Relationship, Display of Independence, Instagram, Display of Personal Empowerment.
Introduction
Divorce is one of the four major life events that are officially recorded. Divorce is obligatory in Islam. In the past, divorce was considered harm to the family that was generally tried to be hidden. Divorce is generally associated with grief, psychological reactions and subsequent problems for women. Divorce is one of unwanted situations in the life of spouses. During almost two recent decades divorce rate has increased in Iran. Studies show that women are more likely than men to applied for divorce. This indicates significant changes in attitudes towards family and its sustainability in society, especially among women. Divorce celeberation is a new form of announcement for the end of a marital relationship. Generally, women more celebrate at such event. This study was conducted to analyze the content of messages and comments related to divorce celebrations from a cultural perspective on Instagram.
Methodology
This study utilized a qualitative approach with content analysis. Data was collected by gathering and examining posts, images, and videos related to divorce celebrations on the Instagram social network. The data collection tool consisted of preparing a checklist of posts to ensure accurate and organized recording and analysis of information. Relevant hashtags, such as #DivorceCelebration, were used to identify data, and samples were selected purposefully based on specific criteria to ensure maximum informational richness.
The study population comprised all posts and comments published on Instagram in January 2025 related to divorce celebrations. Samples were selectively chosen to maximize diversity and coverage of perspectives and attitudes. A total of eleven samples, including textual, visual, and video posts, were selected. Sampling continued until data saturation was reached, where no significant new information was obtained from additional samples, and key concepts and patterns were repeatedly observed.
The content analysis method involved identifying main themes, classifying perspectives, and extracting cultural and social patterns related to divorce celebrations. This approach enabled a comprehensive examination of the individual, psychological, and social dimensions of divorce celebrations. Additionally, analyzing user reactions, including comments and likes, facilitated the assessment of social acceptance and support for divorced individuals. The selection of eleven samples, considering the diversity of formats, user engagement, and depth of data, was deemed appropriate and sufficient for precise and in-depth analysis.
Findings
The findings indicate that divorce celebrations on Instagram are emerging as a growing socio-cultural phenomenon. Many posts conveyed positive messages about restarting life, personal freedom, and strengthening independent identity. The analysis revealed that these celebrations are predominantly prevalent among women, who utilize them to showcase independence, self-confidence, and personal empowerment. Sharing images and videos of celebrations reflects a form of impression management and the representation of a desirable identity, as users strive to present a positive image of their lives (Gibbs et al., 2016).
User reactions were varied; some offered messages of encouragement and congratulations, while others expressed criticism or mockery. This diversity underscores the cultural and social complexities surrounding the acceptance of divorce celebrations. The findings also suggest that divorce celebrations provide opportunities for psychological reconstruction, post-divorce emotional management, and increased social support. Women, through receiving likes and comments, experience enhanced validation and self-worth, contributing to the rebuilding of self-esteem and confidence (Hetherington & Kelly, 2002; Levine & Perkins, 2007).
The analysis further highlighted the significant role of social media and micro-celebrities in shaping attitudes. By sharing their divorce celebrations, micro-celebrities exert considerable influence in altering public perceptions and redefining social norms (Shariati Shiri & Naghibzadeh, 2023). This phenomenon has also facilitated the commodification of divorce celebrations, with related services—such as photography, decorations, clothing, and advertising—offered in the commercial market, enhancing user engagement (Ghorbani et al., 2024). Beyond individual and cultural dimensions, divorce celebrations carry potential negative consequences, including the weakening of family institutions, diminished valuation of marriage, increased consumerism, and perpetuation of gender stereotypes. Nevertheless, divorce celebrations reflect evolving attitudes toward divorce in individualistic and modern cultures, presenting it as an opportunity for personal growth and a fresh start (Mentser & Sagiv, 2025).
Discussion and Conclusion
The findings demonstrate that divorce celebrations on Instagram constitute an emerging socio-cultural phenomenon with multifaceted dimensions, encompassing individual, psychological, social, and media-related aspects. These celebrations are primarily associated with positive messages, portraying divorce as a new beginning, an opportunity for personal growth, and an expression of individual independence. Sharing images and videos of divorce celebrations aids in identity reconstruction, impression management, and the presentation of a desirable self. Analysis of user comments and reactions revealed that this phenomenon is more prevalent among women, who leverage it to enhance self-confidence, self-efficacy, and social support. User interactions through likes and comments foster a sense of belonging, value, and social acceptance for divorced individuals. This trend underscores the significant role of social media in improving post-divorce psychological and social experiences and providing a platform for sharing emotions and personal experiences (Hetherington & Kelly, 2002; Levine & Perkins, 2007).
Moreover, the examination of micro-celebrity posts indicates that their display of divorce celebrations can influence public attitudes and redefine social norms (Shariati Shiri & Naghibzadeh, 2023). This phenomenon has both positive and negative implications. Positive effects include strengthening individual identity, enhancing self-confidence, and creating an open space for divorce acceptance. Potential negative effects include weakening family institutions, diminishing the value of marriage, increasing consumerism, and reinforcing gender stereotypes. Psychologically, divorce celebrations offer opportunities for emotional release and stress management post-separation. Women can achieve faster psychological recovery and gain social and emotional support through this platform (Hetherington & Kelly, 2002). Socially, this phenomenon impacts social networks, interpersonal relationships, and cultural norms. Divorce celebrations on Instagram signify a redefinition of modern values and culture in society, reflecting shifting attitudes toward divorce and individual identity reconstruction (Mentser & Sagiv, 2025). From a media and technological perspective, Instagram’s extensive features enable users to reconstruct personal narratives and manage their online identities. Sharing images and videos empowers users to control the representation of their lives and create social capital through user interactions (Ghorbani et al., 2024). This indicates that social media not only shapes attitudes and social norms but also serves as a tool for identity reconstruction, emotional management, and social interaction. Additionally, divorce celebrations can significantly influence social attitudes toward gender issues and women’s rights, challenging stereotypes and traditional norms, and demonstrating that women can lead independent, high-quality lives post-divorce (Tavakoli et al., 2022). Observing and participating in divorce celebrations allows users to share personal experiences, learn from others, and build networks of social support. Analysis of various samples showed that users narrate their personal stories through celebration videos and images, fostering solidarity and social belonging. Some posts included explanations about post-divorce life, strategies for coping with psychological challenges, and methods for maintaining social and family relationships. Active users, particularly young women, utilize this space to model independence, self-confidence, and personal empowerment (Kabiri & Taghipour, 2023).
This study highlights that divorce celebrations on Instagram are a multidimensional phenomenon requiring thorough examination by sociologists, social psychologists, and cultural scholars. It contributes to a deeper understanding of cultural and social trends surrounding divorce and the role of social media in shaping attitudes. Concurrently, identifying and managing the negative consequences of this phenomenon is essential to mitigate potential adverse effects on family institutions and social values. Overall, divorce celebrations reflect cultural and social transformations and signify evolving representations of individual and gender identity. This phenomenon has transformed social media into a vital platform for interaction, experience exchange, and social capital creation, facilitating open dialogue about cultural and psychological issues. Through an in-depth analysis of these dimensions, this study underscores the role of divorce celebrations in redefining values, shaping attitudes, and promoting social support.
References
Ghorbani, M. R., et al. (2024) Identifying communicative and media factors influencing the development of social participation in NGOs and charities. Socio-Cultural Strategy, 13(51), 247–280.
Gibbs, M., Meese, J., Arnold, M., Nansen, B., & Carter, M. (2016) Funeral and Instagram: Death, social media, and platform vernacular. Information, Communication & Society, 18(3), 255–268.
Hetherington, E. M., & Kelly, J. (2002) For Better or For Worse: Divorce Reconsidered. W. W. Norton & Company.
Kabiri, O., & Taghipour, F. (2023) Measuring the diversity of human communication on Instagram among Iranian users. Media Journal, 34(3), 55–81.
Levine, M., & Perkins, D. D. (2007) Principles of Community Psychology: Perspectives and Applications (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Mentser, S., & Sagiv, L. (2025) Cultural and personal values interact to predict divorce. Communications Psychology, 3, Article 12. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-01234-5
Shariati Shiri, M. T., & Naghibzadeh, A. (2023) A social pathology of Iranian micro-celebrities on Instagram. Parliament and Strategy, 30(116), 177–204.
Tavakoli, F., Rashidpour, A., & Taghipour, F. (2022) Exploring the impact of mobile social networks on students’ cultural identity. Cultural Management Journal, 16(58), 125–138.
* Corresponding Author: Associate Professor, Department of Communication Sciences, Faculty of Marketing and Business, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran.
f.taghipour58@iau.ac.ir
** Ph.D Student, Department of Communication Sciences, Faculty of Marketing and Business, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran.
ailar.bayani@iau.ac.ir
احدی، حسن و اصغر عبداللهی و بیوک تاجری و کبری حاجی علیزاده (1400) «تدوین الگوی مفهومی عوامل شکل¬دهنده طلاق در پنج سال اول زندگی»، مجلۀ علوم روان¬شناختی، شماره97، صص 1-12.
ادیب حاج باقری، محسن و مهوش صلصالی و سرور پرویزی (1386) روشهای تحقیق کیفی، تهران، بشری.
امیدوار، محمدحسین (1401) «طلاق از نظر اسلام و قرآن»، دامغان، اولین همایش ملی تحولات قانون¬گذاری در زمینه استحکام خانواده و مدیریت اختلافات.
بهمنی، زهرا و سمیه شاه¬مرادی (1399) «نقش اینستاگرام بر گرایش به طلاق زوجین و برگزاری جشن طلاق»، تهران، دومین کنگره تازهیافتهها در حوزه خانواده، بهداشت روان، اختلالات، پیشگیری و آموزش.
توکلی، فرزانه و علی رشیدپور و فائزه تقیپور (۱۴۰۱).
واکاوی تأثیر استفاده از شبکههای اجتماعی تلفن همراه بر هویت فرهنگی دانشجویان.
مجله مدیریت فرهنگی، ۱۶(۵۸)، صص 125-۱۳۸.
روزبهانی، شیرین و غفور خوئینی و مریم غنیزاده بافقی (۱۴۰۱) تحلیل حقوقی ماهیت توافقات در ضمن طلاق توافقی.
فصلنامه علمی فقه و حقوق خانواده، ۲۷(76)، صص ۱۱9-۱۴۳.
ساروخانی، باقر و فرحناز خرم (1392) «تحلیل جامعهشناختی واگیری طلاق از خانواده اصلی افراد به زندگی مشترک آنها (مورد مطالعه: شهر تهران، سال 1389-1390)»، مطالعات جامعهشناختی ایران، سال سوم، شماره 9، صص 47-62.
شاه¬قاسمی، احسان (1398) سلبریتی، کریستال آبیدین، تهران، سوره مهر.
شریعتی شیری، محمدتقی و احمد نقیبزاده (1402) «آسیبشناسی اجتماعی میکروسلبریتیهای ایرانی در اینستاگرام»، مجلس و راهبرد، سال سی¬ام، شماره 116، صص 177-204.
شریف آذر، جمال و علیاصغر شادجو (1393) «تأثیر رسانهها بر طلاق»، همایش منطقهای آسیبشناسی پدیدة طلاق، سقز.
شیخی، الهه (1395) «نقش شبکههای اجتماعی در مشکلات خانوادگی و طلاق»، تهران، کنفرانس بینالمللی پژوهش در علوم و تکنولوژی.
صفدری، امیرحسین (1403) «نگاهی به پدیده اجتماعی جشن طلاق»، قابل دسترسی در: https://civilica. com/note/2842/.
ظریفی، سید علی (1402) «نقاب پُر آسیب جشن طلاق»، قابل دسترسی در: https://www. isna. ir/news/1402072719268/.
عنایت، یوسف (۱۳۹۸) آسیبشناسی استفاده از شبکههای اجتماعی در جامعه ایرانی و ارائه راهبردهای استفاده بهینه از آن، فصلنامه مجلس و راهبرد، ۲۷(۱۰۲)، صص ۱۸۳–۲۱۱.
غیاثی، هادی و دیگران (1398) «تحلیل تحلیل محتوا مطبوعات از عوامل مؤثر بر طلاق»، نامه فرهنگ و ارتباطات، سال چهارم، شماره 1، صص 143-164.
فتحی، ابراهیم و میثم لطیفی و صادق موالیی (۱۳۹۹) فراتحلیل علل جامعهشناختی گرایش به طلاق در ایران (در بازه زمانی سالهای ۱۳۸6-۱۳۹۶)، پژوهشنامه اسلامی زنان و خانواده، 80 (۱۸)، صص 12-97.
فرهادپور، سعید (1392) تحلیل محتوای فرهنگی در رسانههای دیجیتال، تهران، پژوهشگاه فرهنگ، هنر و ارتباطات.
قربانی، محمدرضا و دیگران (1403) «شناسایی زمینههای ارتباطی و رسانهای مؤثر بر توسعه مشارکتهای اجتماعی در سازمانهای مردمنهاد و خیریهها»، راهبرد اجتماعی- فرهنگی، سال سیزدهم، شماره 51، صص 247-280.
کبیری، امید و فائزه تقی¬پور (1402) «سنجش تنوع ارتباطات انسانی در شبکه اجتماعی اینستاگرام بین کاربران ایرانی»، مجله رسانه، سال سی ¬و چهارم، شماره 3 (پیاپی 132)، صص 55-81 قاسمی مجید و علی مقدمزاده (۱۳۹۶) تفاوتهای جنسیتی در استفاده از شبکههای اجتماعی: مطالعه موردی دبیرستانهای منطقه ۵ شهر تهران، پژوهشهای روانشناسی اجتماعی، ۲۷، صص 15-۳۴.
مرادی، علی و سمیه احمدی (1394) «تأثیر رسانههای اجتماعی بر نگرشهای جوانان نسبت به طلاق»، مجله جامعهشناسی ایران، سال شانزدهم، شماره 1، صص 89-112.
مرکز پژوهشهای مجلس (1390) تحلیل جامعهشناختی طلاق در ایران، گزارش علمی، شناسه ملی سند (R1336715)، قابل دسترسی در: https://civilica. com/doc/1336715.
Gibbs, M., Meese, J., Arnold, M., Nansen, B., & Carter, M. (2016) Funeral and Instagram: Death, social media, and platform vernacular. Information, Communication & Society, 18(3), 255-268.
Hetherington, E. M., & Kelly, J. (2002) For Better or For Worse: Divorce Reconsidered. W. W. Norton & Company.
Levine, M., & Perkins, D. D. (2007) Principles of community psychology: Perspectives and applications (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-514417-1.
Mentser, S., & Sagiv, L. (2025) Cultural and personal values interact to predict divorce. Communications Psychology, 3, Article 12. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-01234-5.
