“Undra om det där är på riktigt?” : En intervjustudie om autenticitet och självframställning i Gift vid första ögonkastet

This study has analyzed the Swedish version of the Reality show Married at first sight with the purpose to explore how the participants navigate self-presentation and negotiate ideas of authenticity and authentic love. The gathering of data was based on qualitative interviews with a semi-structured design and the material was analyzed by thematic analysis where five themes were identified: Intense self reflection, The best self, True to yourself, Cameraman/Partner, The perspective on the final portrayal. The results show that the participants' self-presentation is influenced by several factors, such as the encouragement of intense self-reflection and the interaction with their partner and the camera. The study highlights the complexity of how participants navigate the tension between authenticity and presenting their best selves, suggesting a renegotiation of the concept of regions. It illustrates the dissolution of Goffman's front stage and backstage regions and points out that participants’ navigation takes place in a “multiple” and “ambivalent” geography, where the regions are relational and shaped by situational dynamics.