Soc. 118 Media, Culture & Society

1. Soc. 118Media, Culture & Society Chapter 4 Something to Talk About: An Interaction Approach to Popular Culture

2. OVERVIEW • Foundations of the Interaction Approach • In-Class Exercise: The Presentation of Self • Collective Consumption in Subcultures, Scenes, and Social Organizations • Video: “Second Skin” • Social Networks and the Spread of Fashion and Fads • Cultural Diffusion and Word-of-Mouth Communication • The Blurry Boundary Between Marketing and Reality

3. Foundations of an Interaction Approach • Symbolic Interactionism • Micro-level study of social interaction • Using ethnographic methods of participant observation • Group contexts for the development of a socialself • Identity, peers, socialization • The Looking Glass Self • Charles Cooley “Each to each a looking-glass, Reflects the other that doth pass” • PROCESS: • We imagine how we appear to others • We interpret others’ reactions • We develop a self-concept • There is no sense of “self” without a corresponding “other”

4. The Looking Glass Self

5. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life Erving Goffman Dramaturgy Metaphor of the theater Role Performances Audiences Personal Front: Appearance, manner, costumes, props Region: Scenery and Settings Back stage Rehearse performance Front stage Perform for audience Impression Management Try to control impressions we make on others Presenting ourselves in favorable light Foundations of an Interaction Approach

6. “The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life” by Erving Goffman DRAMATURGY In-Class Exercise

7. Collective Consumption inSubcultures, Scenes and Social Organizations • Dynamics of consumption in interaction • Subculture • A world within larger dominant culture • Alternative identities, beliefs, practices • Distinguished through consumption • Could be at forefront of lifestyles or cultural reinvention • Mass-produced or underground culture • 1960s – “The counter-culture” • 1990s – Rave culture • Scenes • Where subcultures experience identity in social interaction • Distinguished spatially • Local scenes • Trans-local scenes • Virtual scenes • Subcultures and Scenes  Social Organizations • Stable interaction • Clubs, tournaments, conventions, events

8. “Second Skin” Video Presentation:

9. Social Networks and the Spread of Fashion and Fads • Social networks • Individuals connected through a variety of relationships • Dyads and triads • Hierarchies and asymmetry • Strength or weakness of ties between group members • Based on: • time together • emotional intensity • intimacy • Mark Granovetter – “The Strength of Weak Ties” • People who are less like each other have more practical value

10. Social Networks and the Spread of Fashion and Fads • Interactions that facilitate diffusion • Through peer groups and social circles • Helps fads and fashions become popular • Circulate knowledge and taste in popular culture • Martin Gladwell – “The Tipping Point” • Connectors bridge a large number of discrete networks 10

11. Cultural Diffusion and Word-of-Mouth Communication • Reviews and recommendations: • 67% of consumer goods sales • Based on word-of-mouth • How buzz promotes films • Example of “sleeper hits” • Positive or negative still helps • Measured by: • Volume • Intensity • Dispersal • Duration 11

12. Cultural Diffusion and Word-of-Mouth Communication • Opinion leaders • Experts in product field • Early adopters • First to try new products • Passive influence thru conspicuous consumption • Market mavens • Knowledge about many different products 12

13. The Blurry Boundary Between Marketing and Reality • Marketing of media and popular culture relies heavily on social networks and buzz • Stealth marketing • Promotion of products at sporting events • Product placement in background • Reality marketing • Recruit people to promote brands in the real world • Confusing the difference between marking and reality