The rooted research known five chief types of meme quiddities that joined circumstances into same nearest and dearest: Target, particular profile, generic profile, step, and you will words. Following the distinction between real artwork quiddities and you can abstract textual ones (Lewis, 2012 ; Spitzberg https://datingranking.net/heterosexual-dating/, 2014 ), we built a measurement to possess quiddity concreteness. The original one or two groups-things (instance Mentos from inside the “Eating plan Mentos”) and particular emails (such as for instance Bert from inside the “Bert are Evil”)-is actually highly obvious and you may real. Common letters (including the some cats inside the “LOLcats”) and you will procedures (such as the moving actions during the “Brand new Development from Moving”) are still obvious, however their manifestation you may go from one such as for instance to a different. Eventually, as opposed to visible stuff, phrases are definitely the minimum real or the really abstract of all classes. Following this section, i measured the latest percentage of era inside the for every single loved ones one to contained features regarding each one of the groups. Per meme instance in children must include at least one type of quiddity. The fresh new quiddity concreteness peak is gotten per meme household members based for the weighted scores of the five-quiddity teams: target and particular profile (1), generic reputation and you may methods (0), and you may terminology (?1).
Quiddity versions
In the RQ1 we requested do you know the prevalent style of quiddities one join meme families with her. Our research showed that action is the most frequently employed quiddity on the test (42.2% away from meme period), followed closely by phrase (38.5%). Certain character (29%) and object (23%) was indeed less frequent, with generic character (fifteen.7%) at the rear of behind. You will need to remember that our very own findings reveal that this new main quiddity are mainly distinctive from the common services looking into the the fresh codebook for the majority of meme family members. In fact, within the ninety% of the meme parents, the new quiddity are particular and therefore was not as part of the universal qualities. Including, regarding “Star Conflicts Guy” household members, new operate off attacking that have laser swords try an extremely specific quiddity, and thus cannot be grabbed from the simple popular features of the fresh codebook.
During the RQ2 we requested hence layouts, forms, and you can participation structures is actually prevalent (and you may marginal) inside modern-day sites memes. We unearthed that well-known culture (twenty-six.5%), dinner (19.1%) and you may the fresh media (16.3%) was indeed the preferred subject areas; nationality (2.6%), current events (3.2%), and you can performs and a job (3.3%) had been minimum of preferred subject areas. With regards to intercourse, men professionals (59.4%) was indeed portrayed twice as often as the female participants (27.3%). Children and you may teenagers (38.7%) looked very, if you find yourself senior members were at least illustrated (5.6%) when it comes to generation. Caucasian members (forty two.5%) was basically the essential depicted cultural group, if you are Hispanic or Latino players at least (0.2%). In the end, in terms of form, extremely era was basically photo (56%) or movies (42.6%) unlike absolute textual memes (1%). Typically, these types of conclusions corroborate certain findings produced in the qualitative degree discussed significantly more than, where memetic industries are called reigned over by the more youthful, white males. When it comes to layouts, media-centered playfulness seemingly have become way more high than simply engagement that have government. Very according to descriptive statistics at least, politics is quite marginal on memetic sphere. But really, because unfolded less than, community studies will state us a more complex tale.
The latest cohesiveness out of generic services from inside the meme family members
As the outlined more than, one of several tries regarding the analysis were to have a look at the new the quantity off cohesiveness away from meme group with regards to the universal features (RQ3). Shape 2 reveals the newest circle regarding memes sharing similar content services. To produce the fresh new graphic research clearer, we tell you here only five meme family members one express several or a whole lot more services. How big the node signifies its circle knowledge, put differently, what other meme instances it offers stuff services which have. Particularly, the original meme from “Exit Britney By yourself” ‘s the biggest node, discussing at the very least a couple of content qualities which have 56 (off 83) other meme era. “Graffiti” and you can “Birmingham” is each other instances of this new “Pepper Jet Policeman” meme family. They are smallest nodes about circle, revealing two articles functions which have several almost every other meme circumstances. This new width of your wrap stands for exactly how many mutual functions. Instance, the new ties between cases of this new “Hop out Britney By yourself” are thick, and therefore they are much like each other when it comes out-of posts. The initial meme and its days show as much as 9 (of sixteen) stuff features collectively.