DIGITIZING THE 'IDEAL WOMAN': THE RISE OF THE KULASTREE INFLUENCER AND ITS SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT IN KERALA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69980/mhgat443Keywords:
Kulastree, Digital Labor, Neo-traditionalism, Domesticity, Para-social Interaction, Kerala VlogsAbstract
This study investigates the digital resurgence of the "Kulastree" (the virtuous, traditional woman) archetype within Kerala’s vlogging ecosystem. By examining the "aesthetic of domesticity," the research explores how traditional gender roles are re-packaged as modern aspirational labor. Using a mixed-methods approach with 520 female respondents, the paper employs parametric tests (Pearson’s Correlation, Independent Samples T-test, and Linear Regression) to analyze the psychological impact of "perfect domesticity" on the Malayali female psyche. The findings reveal a significant positive correlation ($r = 0.68$) between vlog consumption and "Domestic Guilt." The study concludes that while these digital spaces offer community, they simultaneously reinforce patriarchal structures through the commercialization of traditionalism.
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