Our rooted research known four fundamental categories of meme quiddities you to united era towards same household members: Target, specific character, https://datingranking.net/divorced-dating/ common character, step, and you can words. After the difference in real graphic quiddities and you can conceptual textual of them (Lewis, 2012 ; Spitzberg, 2014 ), i built a description having quiddity concreteness. The original a couple of kinds-things (such as Mentos inside “Diet Mentos”) and specific characters (such as for instance Bert in the “Bert is Evil”)-are highly obvious and you may real. Generic characters (including the various kittens for the “LOLcats”) and you will steps (like the dancing actions in “New Advancement regarding Moving”) are still apparent, however their expression you’ll change from one to such as to a different. In the end, unlike noticeable items, sentences are the the very least real or even the extremely abstract of all of the groups. Following this department, we counted new part of times from inside the each family members you to definitely contained enjoys away from all the kinds. Per meme such as for instance when you look at the a family group was required to contain at least one kind of quiddity. New quiddity concreteness height was obtained for every single meme loved ones established with the adjusted an incredible number of the 5-quiddity organizations: target and particular profile (1), generic profile and you may tips (0), and you will phrase (?1).
Quiddity sizes
In the RQ1 i expected exactly what are the prevalent form of quiddities one join meme family with her. Our analysis indicated that action is considered the most frequently used quiddity regarding shot (42.2% off meme occasions), followed closely by phrase (38.5%). Particular reputation (29%) and you may object (23%) had been less frequent, having universal character (15.7%) behind trailing. It is vital to note that our very own results reveal that the fresh fundamental quiddity is mostly not the same as this new general properties searching within the this new codebook for most meme group. In reality, during the ninety% of the meme group, new quiddity is actually certain which means that wasn’t within the universal attributes. Such as, regarding “Star Battles Child” loved ones, the new act away from fighting having laser swords is an extremely specific quiddity, meaning that could not become captured from the common options that come with this new codebook.
For the RQ2 i questioned hence templates, models, and you can participation formations is prevalent (and you may limited) into the modern-day websites memes. I unearthed that preferred culture (twenty six.5%), restaurants (19.1%) and you will new media (sixteen.3%) was basically the best subject areas; nationality (2.6%), latest events (3.2%), and performs and you will a career (step three.3%) was in fact minimum of common subject areas. Regarding intercourse, male players (59.4%) have been portrayed twice as often while the people participants (twenty seven.3%). Teens and you may young adults (38.7%) featured extremely, if you find yourself elder professionals have been at least represented (5.6%) in terms of generation. Caucasian members (forty-two.5%) was indeed more represented cultural class, while you are Latina or Latino people the least (0.2%). Eventually, in terms of setting, very circumstances have been images (56%) or films (42.6%) in lieu of natural textual memes (1%). As a whole, these findings validate a number of the observations built in the qualitative studies demonstrated a lot more than, in which the memetic areas try named ruled of the younger, light boys. When it comes to templates, media-established playfulness seems to have started significantly more high than involvement having government. So based on detailed statistics at least, government is quite limited from the memetic fields. Yet, because unfolded less than, circle data will state all of us a very cutting-edge tale.
The newest cohesiveness out of common features in the meme parents
Given that detail by detail a lot more than, one of the seeks associated with the data were to take a look at the brand new extent off cohesiveness off meme family with regards to their general qualities (RQ3). Figure 2 reveals the newest community out-of memes sharing equivalent blogs features. To produce brand new graphic analysis sharper, i show here merely five meme family you to definitely show two otherwise alot more features. The size of the newest node represents their circle degree, in other words, the other meme instances it offers articles characteristics with. Such as, the initial meme regarding “Get off Britney Alone” is the biggest node, revealing no less than two posts properties that have 56 (off 83) other meme instances. “Graffiti” and you may “Birmingham” are both cases of the newest “Pepper Sprinkle Policeman” meme household members. They are smallest nodes from the network, discussing a couple articles features having a couple of most other meme circumstances. This new thickness of one’s wrap represents how many shared characteristics. Including, brand new links between cases of the new “Hop out Britney By yourself” have become dense, which means he’s nearly the same as each other with regards to from content. The original meme and its days express doing nine (of 16) stuff attributes collectively.