Üsküdar University Department of Sociology conducted a comprehensive study on the “Sociological Analysis of Flower Gifting Behaviors” among university students. According to the research, conducted with 510 students aged 18-25 from various universities in Turkey, young people enjoy gifting flowers. Flowers make them feel happy, peaceful, and special. Prof. Dr. Ebulfez Süleymanlı, evaluating the research results, stated, “Flowers are an important tool in gifting. The continuation of a gifting behavior with neutral and emotional connotations like flowers among young people is important for its function in fostering social and psychological closeness in society.”
Under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Ebulfez Süleymanlı, Head of the Üsküdar University Department of Sociology, undergraduate students Feyza Keskin and Nur Yıldız from Üsküdar University Department of Sociology actively participated in the research conducted nationwide in Turkey.
The general objective of the research was determined to examine the flower gifting/receiving behaviors of university students, how flowers are interpreted by young people, the factors they consider when buying flowers, and their flower-buying habits through different variables.
510 Undergraduate Students Participated in the Research
A total of 510 associate's, undergraduate, and graduate students aged 18-25, studying in various state and foundation universities in Turkey during the 2020-2021 Academic Year, participated in the study conducted via an online survey. Among the participants, 68.0% (347) were female and 32.0% (163) were male. 69.4% were undergraduate students, 23.3% were associate's degree students, and 7.3% were master's degree students. 51.0% of the participants stated they were studying at state universities, and 49.0% at foundation universities.
42.9% of the participating students were between 18-20 years old, 28.8% between 21-22 years old, 0.3% between 23-24 years old, and 0.9% between 24-25 years old. The inclusion of students from every department, class, and age group in the sample constituted an important aspect in terms of representing the main population and the reliability of the results.
Young People Love Gifting Flowers
To the question, “Do you gift flowers?”, 70.4% of participants answered “yes”, and 29.6% answered “no”.
To this question, 48.6% of female participants answered “yes” and 19.4% answered “no”, while 21.8% of male participants answered “yes” and 0.2% (52) answered “no”.
Flowers Make You Feel Happy, Peaceful, and Special
To the question, “How do flowers make you feel?”, 7.1% of participants answered that they feel special, 0.8% peaceful, and 23.9% happy. 2.7% of participants expressed this feeling with the concept of “beautiful scent”, 3.1% with trust, 5.9% with nature, 0.4% with value, and 3.3% with other concepts.
First Flowers Are Gifted to Mothers
To the question, “When and at what age did you first gift flowers to whom?”, 31.9% of participants stated they gifted flowers to their mothers between the ages of 5-10, and 0.1% between 10-15. Additionally, 0.2% of participants stated they gifted to their significant others between the ages of 15-20, and 6.6% to their teachers between the ages of 5-10.
"I Deliver the Flower I Will Gift Myself"
To the question, “How do you deliver the flower you want to gift?”, 63.9% of participants stated they prefer to deliver it themselves, while 33.8% said they use “cargo” (delivery service).
Have You Received Flowers as a Gift from Someone?
To the question, “Have you received flowers from someone?”, 59.8% of participants answered “yes”. Among those who answered “yes”, 86.9% were women, while 0.1% were men. 40.2% of participants answered “no” to this question. Among those who answered “no”, 40.0% were women, and 60.0% were men.
Potted Flowers Are Preferred
To the question, “When buying flowers as a gift for someone or when receiving flowers as a gift, which do you prefer?”, 52.9% of participants stated they prefer potted flowers; of these, 75.9% were women and 24.1% were men. Among women, the rate of those preferring potted flowers was 40.2%, while 24.5% stated they prefer cut flowers.
The Meaning Carried by the Flower Is More Important
To the question, “When you are given flowers as a gift, which aspect is more important to you?”, 63.3% (323) of participants answered that the meaning carried by the flower is more important. Among those who answered “the meaning carried by the flower”, 70.6% were women and 29.4% were men.
To this question, 0.1% of participants answered “it should be according to the recipient's taste”. Among those who answered that it should be according to the recipient's taste, 54.2% were women, and 45.8% were men.
And 0.9% of participants answered “it should be according to my own taste”. Among those who prefer it to be according to their own taste, 75.3% were women and 24.7% were men.
Young People Are Interested in the Meanings of Flowers
To the question, “Flowers carry meanings. Like a red rose representing love. Do you have knowledge about these?”, 62.4% of participants answered “yes”, and 33.1% answered “no”.
Among those who answered “yes”, 71.1% were women, and 28.9% were men. Among those who answered “no”, 62.1% were women, and 37.9% were men.
Color Doesn't Matter
To the question, “Which color flower do you like?”, 23.7% of participants answered “white”; 0.6% answered “red”; and 47.3% stated that “the color doesn't matter”.
Artificial Flowers Are Not Preferred
To the question, “Which do you prefer?”, 97.1% of participants stated they prefer real flowers, while 2.9% (15 people) stated they prefer artificial flowers.
To the question, “When you receive flowers, which do you prefer?”, 90.8% of participants answered “real flowers”; 3.7% answered “artificial flowers”; and 5.5% stated they had no opinion. 94.5% of female participants and 90.8% of male participants stated they prefer real flowers. This rate was 3.2% for female participants and 3.7% for male participants for artificial flowers.
To the question, “When you buy flowers for someone, which do you prefer?”, 96.3% of participants stated they prefer real flowers, while 3.7% said they prefer artificial flowers.
No Change During the Pandemic Period
To the question, “Has there been a change in your flower gifting/receiving behavior during the pandemic?”, a significant portion of participants, 66.6%, answered “no”, while 0.7% stated there was “a change in the way of sending/receiving flowers”. This was attributed to their preference for ordering flowers from online sites due to pandemic conditions.
"Sarı Laleler" (Yellow Tulips) Comes to Mind for Songs About Flowers
To the question, “Is there a favorite song that includes a meaningful reference to flowers?”, 31.8% of participants answered “Sarı Laleler” (Yellow Tulips), 0.6% “Kır Papatyası” (Wild Daisy), 6.8% “Bir Demet Yasemen” (A Bunch of Jasmine), 6.4% “Gülpembe” (Rose-pink), and 5.7% “Begonvil” (Bougainvillea).
Meaningful Name Related to Flowers: Yasemin (Jasmine)
To the question, “Is there a favorite name that includes a meaningful reference to flowers?”, 0.0% of participants answered Yasemin (Jasmine), 0.6% Lale (Tulip), 8.3% Menekşe (Violet), 0.5% Nergis (Narcissus), 4.4% Nilüfer (Water Lily), 1.3% Gülşen (Rose garden), 6.1% Papatya (Daisy), and 0.7% Gül (Rose).
Prof. Dr. Ebulfez Süleymanlı: “Flowers Are an Important Tool in Gifting”
Prof. Dr. Ebulfez Süleymanlı evaluated the research results. Noting that giving flowers and receiving flowers as gifts are seen as a living and socially functional behavior for today's young people, Prof. Dr. Ebulfez Süleymanlı said, “Young people gift flowers to the other person with a specific meaning and significance. Furthermore, it is understood that flowers hold an important place in their lives, as young people are aware of the positive effects flowers create in terms of evoking feelings of happiness and expressing emotions, regardless of gender.”
Prof. Dr. Ebulfez Süleymanlı stated, “Considering that the act of giving/receiving flowers has a ritualistic dimension and is a socially charged interaction code, the transition from hand-delivering flowers to sending them via cargo over time indicates a social reality.” He continued, “In this, the effort to ensure that temporal and spatial limitations do not hinder the meaningful interaction represented by flower giving is effective. Furthermore, the decreasing prevalence of cut flowers among young people and the increasing preference for potted flowers are seen to be closely related to factors such as sustainability and ecological awareness.”
Prof. Dr. Ebulfez Süleymanlı: “Gifting Behavior Provides Closeness”
Emphasizing that gifting plays an important role in shaping social bonds between individuals, Prof. Dr. Ebulfez Süleymanlı said, “Thus, as seen from the research results, the continuation of a gifting behavior with neutral and emotional connotations like flowers among young people holds an important place for its function in fostering social and psychological closeness in society. Moreover, interactions loaded with reciprocity, gifting, meaning, and social codes, such as giving flowers, gain a different significance within the framework of today's changes in terms of facilitating emotional transitions.”