Our very own rooted research understood four main types of meme quiddities one to joined days for the exact same family members: Target, specific reputation, generic reputation, action, and you can statement. Adopting the difference in real visual quiddities and you may abstract textual of those (Lewis, 2012 ; Spitzberg, 2014 ), we developed a description to have quiddity concreteness. The initial a few kinds-objects (particularly Mentos in the “Diet Mentos”) and specific emails (such as Bert inside “Bert are Worst”)-is extremely visible and tangible. Simple letters (like the various cats from inside the “LOLcats”) and you can actions (like the dancing moves into the “The brand new Progression out of Dancing”) are nevertheless visible, however their expression you will move from you to such as to another. In the long run, as opposed to visible items, sentences will be the very least real or the most conceptual of the many categories. After that section, we mentioned brand new part of days inside the each family unit members one contained enjoys off each of the groups. For each and every meme such as inside the a household had to incorporate about one kind of quiddity. New quiddity concreteness level try received for every single meme family relations oriented into the weighted scores of the five-quiddity organizations: object and you will certain character (1), common reputation and procedures (0), and you may phrase (?1).
Quiddity systems
When you look at the RQ1 we requested exactly what are the prevalent style of quiddities one to join meme families along with her. All of our research showed that step is one of commonly used quiddity about take to (42.2% from meme circumstances), followed by terms (38.5%). Certain reputation (29%) and you can object (23%) was in fact less frequent, that have general character (15.7%) behind about. It is essential to observe that our findings show that the fundamental quiddity try mostly unlike the fresh general qualities searching within the the latest codebook for the majority meme family members. Actually, within the ninety% of the meme group, the fresh new quiddity are particular and thus was not within the generic features. Particularly, about “Star Conflicts Boy” loved ones, new operate away from fighting which have laser swords was an incredibly certain quiddity, which means couldn’t getting seized from the generic attributes of brand new codebook.
When you look at the RQ2 i requested and therefore themes, forms, and you can involvement structures try prevalent (and marginal) during the latest sites memes. I found that preferred society (26.5%), dinner (19.1%) and you may new mass media (sixteen.3%) had been the most famous topics; nationality (dos.6%), newest events (3.2%), and work and you will employment (3.3%) were minimum of common subjects. Regarding gender, male users (59.4%) have been illustrated twice more frequently because females professionals (27.3%). Toddlers and you will young adults (38.7%) seemed most, if you’re elderly people was basically minimum of represented (5.6%) regarding generation. Caucasian players (49.5%) were many illustrated cultural group, when you’re Hispanic or Latino members the least (0.2%). Eventually beetalk support, regarding mode, very occasions was basically photo (56%) or video (42.6%) as opposed to natural textual memes (1%). Typically, such results validate a number of the findings manufactured in the newest qualitative education revealed a lot more than, where in fact the memetic fields was named ruled of the younger, white men. With regards to layouts, media-created playfulness appears to have already been a whole lot more significant than simply involvement with politics. So based on detailed analytics no less than, government is pretty limited regarding the memetic fields. Yet ,, since unfolded below, circle data will tell us a far more advanced tale.
The brand new cohesiveness away from simple properties in the meme household
Just like the outlined above, one of several seeks from the analysis were to view new the amount of cohesiveness away from meme family in terms of the common properties (RQ3). Figure dos suggests the fresh new system off memes sharing comparable content qualities. To create the graphic data better, i reveal here only five meme parents you to share a few otherwise much more properties. How big is brand new node signifies the system degree, in other words, what other meme period they shares posts features that have. Such, the original meme regarding “Get off Britney Alone” is the largest node, sharing at least a few blogs qualities with 56 (out of 83) other meme occasions. “Graffiti” and “Birmingham” are one another cases of the fresh “Pepper Spray Policeman” meme nearest and dearest. They are the smallest nodes on the community, discussing two articles services having several almost every other meme hours. The newest thickness of one’s tie represents just how many shared characteristics. For example, new ties anywhere between cases of this new “Get off Britney By yourself” are heavy, for example they are much like both with regards to from blogs. The initial meme and its hours share around nine (off 16) blogs properties with each other.