My PhD research is conducted with semi-structured interviews (N = 25) and episode interviews (N = 25). The respondents are Finnish males from South of Finland between the ages of 21 and 67.
The research questions ask: What type of support do men provide to their friends in interpersonal communication situations? What influences the quality of support provision? What type of emotional comforting do men provide to their friends? What role does friendship context and facework play in males’ supportive interaction? What is the role of effectance motivation, goal motivation, and normative motivation in males’ supportive communication?
At this time, I have written two articles discussing the results of the episode interviews. The four episodes that were used dealt with two different causes of upset: 1) Sudden unemployment (professional issue) and 2) Deterioration of romantic relationship (personal issue). The responsibility variable used in the distressing scenarios was extensive alcohol usage. The responsibility variable was crossed with each of the situational variables, thus generating four conditions (i.e., high/no drinking x unemployment and high/no drinking x break up).
You can hear about the results in NCA Conference in Chicago, November 2009!
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Home Page and blog of Ira A. Virtanen, PhD, University Teacher and Researcher in Communication. "What is most personal is most universal" -Carl R. Rogers-
About Me
- Ira
- Finland
- I teach communication at University of Helsinki. My main interests lie in interpersonal relationships, social support and supportive communication, communication contexts such as culture, gender, relationship, and settings. PhD (2015) from University of Tampere, M.A. (2006) and B.A. (2005) from University of Helsinki. I worked as a Visiting Fulbright Student Researcher at Purdue University in Indiana 2010-2011.
Most recent publications:
- Virtanen, I. A. (2015). Supportive communication in Finnish men’s friendships. Published doctoral dissertation. Acta-Sarja 2019. Tampere University. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-44-9702-5
- Virtanen I. A., Isotalus, P., & Keaton, S. A. (2014). “Offer no readymade solutions”: Men’s support provision and intentions in specific episodes with an upset friend. Studies in Communication Sciences, 14(1), 54–60.
- Puheenvuoro ”Puheviestinnän asiantuntijayhteisön tulevaisuuden näkymiä” Prologos ry:n jäsenkirjeessä 1/2015 (Virtanen, I & Hollanti, K.).
- Artikkeli ”Haasteelliset asiakaskohtaamiset eläinlääkärin työssä”. Hollanti, K. & Virtanen, I., Suomen Eläinlääkärilehti, nro 6/2014.
- Virtanen, I. A., & Isotalus, P. (2014). Talking troubles with Finnish men: Meaningful contexts of ‘supportive silence’. Norma: International Journal for Masculinity Studies, 9(2), 111–125.
- Virtanen, I. A., & Isotalus, P. (2013). A clear mirror on which to reflect: Beneficial supportive communication in Finnish men’s friendships. Qualitative Communication Research, 2(2), 133–158.
- Virtanen, I. A. (2013). Ikä ja elämänkulku miesten ystävyyssuhteissa. Teoksessa Ilkka Pietilä & Hanna Ojala (toim.) Miehistä puhetta: Miehet, ikääntyminen ja vanhenemisen kulttuuriset mallit (s. 227–251). Tampere: TUP.
- Virtanen, I. A. (2011). Talking about learning – The ever-changing environment. Teachers as sources of informal social support. The Teaching and Learning Newsletter, The Language Center & Department of Communication, South East European University, Makedonia.
- Virtanen, I. A. & Isotalus, P. (2011). The essence of social support in interpersonal communication. Empedocles: European Journal for the Philosophy of Communication, 3 (1), 25-42.
- Virtanen I. A., & Isotalus, P. (2010). Miesten tukea antava viestintä eroavalle ystävälle [Men’s support provision for a friend breaking up]. In J. Hämäläinen, P. Pölkki & A. Kääriäinen (Eds.) Ero, vanhemmuus ja tukeminen [Divorce, parenting and support] (pp. 224-253). Helsinki: Central Union for Child Welfare in Finland & University of Kuopio.
- Virtanen, I. A. (2009). Finnish supportive communication: A qualitative study on middle-aged singles support seeking. In R. Wilkins & P. Isotalus (Eds.) Speech culture in Finland (pp. 117-138). New York, NY: University Press of America.
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