Our very own grounded study recognized four head kinds of meme quiddities one to joined occasions toward exact same family: Object, certain character, simple reputation, action, and you will terms. Adopting the difference in real graphic quiddities and conceptual textual ones (Lewis, 2012 ; Spitzberg, 2014 ), we constructed a description having quiddity concreteness. The original a couple kinds-items (instance Mentos for the “Diet Mentos”) and you will particular emails (such as Bert in “Bert was Evil”)-was extremely visible and real. Simple letters (including the various pets when you look at the “LOLcats”) and you may actions (including the dancing motions into the “Brand new Development out-of Dance”) are still visible, however their manifestation you are going to move from you to definitely eg to some other. Fundamentally, as opposed to apparent items, sentences will be the minimum real or perhaps the most conceptual of all classes. After that section, i counted the latest portion of days when you look at the for each family that consisted of keeps away from each one of the classes. For each and every meme eg into the a family group was required to contain about one kind of quiddity. New quiddity concreteness peak is acquired for every single meme family relations built into the adjusted an incredible number of the five-quiddity organizations: target and you can particular reputation (1), universal profile and measures (0), and words (?1).
Quiddity types
Into the RQ1 we questioned which are the prevalent version of quiddities you to join meme parents together with her. All of our analysis showed that step is among the most frequently used quiddity in the shot (42.2% off meme circumstances), followed by words (38.5%). Specific profile Indian dating review (29%) and you will target (23%) was basically less frequent, having generic reputation (fifteen.7%) at the rear of behind. It is very important keep in mind that all of our findings reveal that the latest head quiddity was mostly unlike the fresh new universal services looking from inside the this new codebook for the majority of meme household. Actually, for the 90% of your own meme group, the latest quiddity is actually particular meaning that wasn’t within the common services. Eg, about “Celebrity Battles Child” family unit members, the operate out of assaulting which have laserlight swords is a very certain quiddity, which means that could not be grabbed from the common features of the new codebook.
Within the RQ2 we expected and that layouts, variations, and you will participation structures are common (and you will limited) during the contemporary internet memes. We learned that common culture (26.5%), food (19.1%) and you can this new media (sixteen.3%) were the best information; nationality (2.6%), latest situations (3.2%), and performs and you can a position (step three.3%) was indeed at least preferred subjects. With regards to intercourse, male users (59.4%) had been represented twice more frequently since the females members (27.3%). Toddlers and you will young adults (38.7%) checked really, whenever you are elder players was indeed the least portrayed (5.6%) regarding age bracket. Caucasian participants (forty-two.5%) was in fact probably the most illustrated ethnic group, if you find yourself Hispanic or Latino professionals minimum of (0.2%). Ultimately, when it comes to setting, really times was basically pictures (56%) or videos (42.6%) in the place of natural textual memes (1%). As a whole, these results validate certain findings manufactured in brand new qualitative education described over, in which the memetic sphere was described as controlled by the younger, light men. When it comes to templates, media-built playfulness seems to have become alot more tall than wedding that have politics. Thus centered on descriptive analytics about, politics is quite marginal on the memetic fields. But really, as the unfolded below, circle investigation will tell united states a very advanced story.
The newest cohesiveness away from simple functions when you look at the meme group
Because outlined significantly more than, among tries for the research would be to have a look at the fresh new extent of cohesiveness from meme household regarding the common features (RQ3). Shape dos shows the fresh new network of memes sharing equivalent content qualities. To make this new artwork research better, i reveal right here just five meme household you to express a couple or a whole lot more services. How big is this new node signifies their system degree, this basically means, what other meme period it shares articles characteristics having. Such as, the initial meme from “Get-off Britney By yourself” is the premier node, sharing at least a few blogs qualities with 56 (regarding 83) most other meme instances. “Graffiti” and you may “Birmingham” is one another instances of the newest “Pepper Spray Policeman” meme members of the family. They are the tiniest nodes about circle, revealing a couple blogs qualities with a few most other meme days. This new thickness of the wrap means exactly how many common characteristics. Such as, the latest ties anywhere between instances of the fresh new “Hop out Britney By yourself” are heavy, which means they are nearly the same as each other in terms out-of stuff. The first meme as well as occasions display doing 9 (from sixteen) content attributes collectively.