Popular Culture in a Theoretical Lens PDF

GE2101 The study of psychology has ubiquitous applications, meaning its Popular Culture in a Theoretical Lens researches can be applied to anyone regardless of culture. And...

GE2101 The study of psychology has ubiquitous applications, meaning its Popular Culture in a Theoretical Lens researches can be applied to anyone regardless of culture. And popular culture is no exception – it is often the primary source of Table of Contents information people have whenever they need to learn more about certain cultures. Introduction 1 The Psychology of Popular Culture 1 Whenever one defines popular culture, the one (1) thing that is worth noting is about “what is trending,” “what is hip,” and “what is the latest.” The Mentality of Popular Culture 1-7 What is largely overlooked, however, is that popular culture is also a The Psychological and Sociological Theories 1-4 phenomenon that reflects the values of certain cultures, which stems surrounding Popular Culture The Critical Theories regarding Popular 4-5 from the active participation of the people of those cultures. As such, Culture in a psychological sense, popular culture is the accumulation of all The Semiotic Approaches to Popular Culture 5-7 its elements capable of sustaining and perpetuating itself based on the References 7-8 endorsement and participation of the people through their own volition (i.e., self-agency) (Godsil, MacFarlane, & Sheppard, 2016). It has been repeatedly stated that popular culture is driven by both the consumer and the business industry, using the various media The Mentality of Popular Culture available to the masses, and letting the working class decide which As popular culture is being disseminated largely by the various media are prevalent and seminal to the generation – and which are not. As discussed in the previous module, one can try to look into the theories such, many icons and trends rose and fell, with some achieving a sort that operate behind the scenes to pique the interest of the masses. of immortality to the masses due to their “timeless” quality and cultural There are four (4) major players behind the psychological effects of importance. However, what was being pushed back to the dark popular culture in its aspects: recesses of the bright lights of popular culture were the machinations The different psychological and sociological theories that dissect that tickled the human mind into choosing that these were things worth the mind; one’s time. The different theories critical to the dissemination of popular culture; and What has not yet been discussed is how humans decide which should The success of symbols as means of spreading popular culture be celebrated and which ones should fade in the printed and digital (semiotics). annals – the psychology of popular culture. The Psychological and Sociological Theories surrounding The Psychology of Popular Culture Popular Culture In a formal sense, psychology is defined as the scientific study of the The success of popular culture stems from the idea that people are mind and behavior, actively involved in studying and understanding social creatures. It has been proven that if a person is left isolated for the various mental processes, brain functions, and behavior of too long, mental health issues may appear –which includes violent humans (Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences, n.d.). outbursts and suicide contemplation (truTV, 2016). This is the science that tackles the inner machinations of the human Theories for Self (Psychological theories) mind, how it operates. As a “Hub Science,” psychology has deep o Queer Theory connections with medical sciences, social sciences, and education The popular notion of popular culture is that only a few icons (Boyack, Klavans, & Borner, 2005). and trends remain relevant for a long time. Others just come and go. This is in a somewhat similar lens to the notion that 06 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 1 of 8  GE2101 stereotypes are being challenged constantly through the lens shows, games, and films. Some common archetype identifiers of queer theory, a new theory where ideas and identity in popular culture are as follows: categories that are considered as “hard set” (i.e., already 1. The Father archetype represents an authority figure – existing) in established fields are constantly being scrutinized stern and powerful. Its moral alignment shall dictate how and challenged. In this theory, there is no set normal – only others perceive him. changing views and norms that people can categorize (Illinois If the Father is morally positive, then he is considered Library, 2021). a capable and protective leader. Examples include Joe West (The Flash), Odin Allfather (MCU’s Since popular culture is always changing, apart from being Thor), and Gregory Peck (To Kill a Mockingbird). used to deliver messages designed to challenge issues about If the Father is morally negative, then he is considered sexuality, it [popular culture] continually challenges the beliefs a dictator – a man that is manipulative, cold, and with of people through the introduction of more flexible gender a grandiose vision of transcending beyond the roles, representation, and standards. As such, films such as material world. Examples include Darth Vader (Star Brokeback Mountain, Die Beautiful, and The Panti Sisters Wars), Wilson Fisk (MCU’s Daredevil), and Marlon reflect queer theory in different approaches to challenge the Brando (The Godfather). ever-changing norms in our society. 2. The Mother archetype represents the well-known maternal instincts – nurturing and comforting. Its moral o Archetypes alignment shall dictate how others perceive her. Carl Jung came up with the idea of Jungian archetypes, If the Mother is morally positive, then she is which are images and themes that come from the collective considered a caring mother, full of love and unconscious. Archetypes are things that have the same acceptance. She will defend anyone who hurt her meanings in different cultures. They may show up in dreams, loved ones with equal ferocity, if not more, as the literature, art, or religion. morally good Father. Examples include Mine-a (Encantadia), Katara (The Legend of Aang), and Many people think of archetypes in terms of a list of typical Melina Vostokoff (MCU’s Black Widow). characters, like the hero, the goddess, the wise man, and so If the Mother is morally negative, then she is the on. Such a list doesn't do enough to understand the wicked mother, neglectful and conceited. She is ephemeral core concept. In Jung's words, stubborn and obsessive and will think of nothing else but to satisfy her own agendas. Examples include "… Definite mythological images of motifs... are Lady Tremaine (Cinderella), Mother Gothel nothing more than conscious representations; it (Rapunzel and Tangled), and Cersei Lannister would be absurd to think that such variable (Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire). representations could be inherited." 3. The Child archetype represents a person’s views of children – full of innocence, renewed life, and salvation. Instead, their deeper, instinctual sources, which are called Its moral alignment shall dictate how others perceive "archaic remnants," are the source of the archetypal images, them. not the conscious representations. If the Child is morally positive, then they are considered innocent, playful, and vivacious (i.e., In popular culture, however, archetypes (particularly the cheerful). They bring sunshine to someone’s life character archetypes) help us quickly identify the motives and because of their infectious cheerfulness. Examples general personalities of different icons, especially in TV 06 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 2 of 8  GE2101 include Hyūga Hinata (Naruto), Scott Lang (MCU’s Popular psychology is a term that describes any and all Ant-man), and Santino (May Bukas Pa). psychological ideologies, therapies, and other techniques that If the Child is morally negative, then they are gained traction through media (Cuncic, 2021). This is considered naïve, ignorant, and over-dependent. characterized by placing emphasis on personal feelings, the They will never act on their own because they know latest trends, testimonials, and self-help techniques. Despite someone else will provide for them. Examples include lacking any scientific validations, people flock to these Dudley Dursley (The Wizarding World), Joffrey because of the reasons stated above. Popularized by authors Baratheon (Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice such as Erich Fromm (read Escape from Freedom), Thomas and Fire), and Jane (Twilight series). Harris (read I’m OK – You’re OK), and John Gray (read Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus), popular psychology o Affect theory allows a person to explore their mind and emotions. Affect theory is a way to think about culture, history, and politics that looks at things that aren't words. Affects make us In popular culture, hosts such as Oprah Winfrey and Phillip who we are, but they aren't always under our control or even “Dr. Phil” McGraw popularized a form of therapy where in our awareness. They can only sometimes be expressed in guests make public confessions about a specific topic while words. Michel Foucault's "analytics of power," the study of guest specialists will listen and offer sound advice to them animal rights and secularism, and my own field, religious [guests]. Dubbed as “Oprahfication,” it helped boost the rising studies, are all topics that can be linked to affect theory. In popularity of popular psychology. order to better understand power, Affect Theory tells people that they should think of power as a play. o Identity Erosion Perhaps the most worrisome aspect of popular culture is that Affect studies, which are mostly based on cultural studies, the success of some icons and trends stems from the notion have been very interested in how emotions and feelings are that some of the working class begin to lose themselves to the formed in the social and cultural world. Media and icons and/or trends they wholeheartedly follow, to the point of communication scholars, on the other hand, have paid a lot of devotion. This can be caused by various factors, such as attention to how emotions and feelings are made by media, stress from work, being in incompatible relationships, or even how they are communicated through media, and what kinds simply going to school. This is the concept of identity erosion of emotions people have when they use media. or self-erosion. o Popular psychology Self-erosion occurs because when a person is busy with Ever wondered why there are so many YouTube and Tiktok something in their life, their sense of self begins to identify with videos that feature self-help guides, as well as psychology tips the ones they poured themselves in (Vallejos, 2013) – which, and tricks? in the case of popular culture, is being the “number one” fan of something. Should the icon fade, either the self-eroded fan That is because many people begin to watch self-help guides would either lose their sense of purpose or move on to the and psychology-related videos simply because of accessibility “next big thing.” and the personal connection it gives to the viewers. This is a part of popular psychology. 06 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 3 of 8  GE2101 Theories for Society (Sociological theories) o Tribalism o Postmodernism Tribalism, which is a popular trend that is mostly based on Postmodernism (also known as post-structuralism) rejects false, stereotypical ideas about indigenous people, has universal explanations and instead focuses on the relative become a big thing in pop culture. People who want to be truths of each individual (i.e., postmodernism Equals celebrities, pop princesses, or hipsters want tobes are relativism). Postmodernism is all about interpretation; reality dressing up as Native Americans and wear "war paint." is merely what we make of it. Postmodernism emphasizes personal experience over abstract ideas, stating that personal As an example, taking sorting quizzes to determine your experience is inherently imperfect and relative. house in Hogwarts (in the Wizarding World series) allows one to connect with people sharing the same results, forming People who write about postmodernism agree that, no matter an established “tribe” based on their perceived shared what else it is or might be, it has something to do with how similarities. popular culture changed in the late 20th century in the advanced capitalist democracies of the West in the last half of the century. As a result, no matter how postmodernism is o Culturalism defined, popular culture is a place where these changes can Individuals are shaped by their culture, and these cultures be found the easiest. This is because popular culture is a make up closed organic wholes. The individual can't leave his place where these changes can be found the easiest. or her culture but can only see himself or herself in it, not outside of it. This is called "culturalism." It also says that The Critical Theories regarding Popular Culture cultures have special rights and protections, even if they Popular culture often demonstrates its intelligence via the break individual rights at the same time. development of new styles to appeal to new audiences, and it has fragmented into an infinite number of forms, genres, audiences, tones, o Marxism styles, and goals, to the point that it cannot be properly discussed as Marxists have divided popular culture into two (2) groups: a whole. those that people have made themselves, like folk art or stories, and those that were made for them, like commercial With the help of various theories and concepts, popular culture has TV, advertising, arcade video games, and music. This is developed a foundation in which audiences can reflect on their society usually seen as a way to value the former, which are true and culture. expressions of mass creativity, and to devalue the latter, Genre theory which are used to keep people calm and dominate culture. Genre is derived from the French (and originally Latin) word for Indeed, Marxist literature on culture has been split into two "kind" or "class" (Chandler, 1997). main groups: one that looks for and celebrates "authentic" grassroots culture, and the other that looks into how Chandler (1997) explains that the concept of genre is a creation consumerism and the society of the spectacle make it easier of media artists in order to help them classify their works so that for people to dominate culture. they can identify their target audience and better promote their work. However, genre theory also indicates that genres might As such, this is where countercultures stem from because become overly confined to all of their norms, preventing them from Marxism, in theory, pushes people to challenge the being varied. Thus, Chandler argues that "Conventional established norms of certain cultural groups. definitions of the genre tend to be based on the notion that they 06 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 4 of 8  GE2101 constitute particular conventions of content (such as themes or Fan theories are interpretations of work by fans that are debated, settings)." compared, and shared in various fan communities. They forecast or deduce future content, explain particular occurrences, or For example, Star Wars and Star Trek are situated in space, provide other viewpoints. These interpretations are supported by making it a good example of a Sci-Fi text. However, when we take strong reasoning and specific references to official materials, such a look at Passengers (starring Jennifer Lawrence and Christ as literary excerpts, frames, or information from other media (Amo Pratt), we can also consider it as an example of Sci-Fi but with a & Roca, 2021). romance genre on the side, making it a Sci-Fi Romance movie. This briefly explains that texts are not just limited by conventional In the theory of participatory culture, instead of being tagged as genres; rather, text can be a mix of conventional genres too. “cultural dupes, social misfits, and mindless consumers,” fans can be described as “active producers and manipulators of meaning” The use of genre theory enables us to examine the type or style (Jenkins, 1992). This led to the constant evolution of hypertextual of the text in which helps us understand what the genre is all creations between fandoms such as fanfics, fan-films, remixes, about. This theory sets conventions in which we can identify and fan-subs. certain genres of text. For example, there are set of conventions for a text to be classified as thriller, drama, and comedy, among An example of a fan theory is the concept of headcanon, a form others. of discourse where a fan shares the probable origin or cause of something despite the lack of evidence in a source material, which Intersectionality the author had unintentionally or deliberately left behind for theory- Coined by American lawyer and professor Kimberlé Crenshaw in crafting. 1989, intersectionality explains how individual characteristics such as race, class, and gender, among others, “intersect” with As an example, the video game Doki Doki Literature Club is a one another. game riddled with seemingly different pieces of evidence that point to a larger story, which is prime material for theory-crafting. People often speak about racial inequalities as if they were different from other forms of discrimination like race, gender orientation, or immigration status. However, people tend to overlook that an individual may possess all of these characteristics. For example, a Filipina working and living abroad unknowingly got fired despite having a good performance might be an indication of unfair treatment because of her race and gender. In the context of intersectionality, this suggests that race and gender contributed to the social injustice the Filipina experienced. Thus, intersectionality teaches us to recognize our differences and work out how these distinctions will be expressed in the construction of a group's political identity. Fan theory 06 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 5 of 8  GE2101 Figure 2. Before playing this game, beware of the twists and prepare a cohesive headcanon Source: https://store.steampowered.com/app/698780/Doki_Doki_Literature_Club/ While Saussure offers a dyadic model, Peirce offered a triadic model, which consists of: The Semiotic Approaches to Popular Culture Representamen: The form which the sign takes (but not Semiotics is simply defined as the study of signs. Since there are necessarily material); several concepts in the study of signs, depending on the tradition, it Interpretant: the sense made of the sign (not an interpreter) may be called semiology in the Saussurean tradition and semiotics in Object: to which the sign refers. Peircean tradition. Semiotics by Saussure A Swiss linguist and semiotician, Ferdinand de Saussure, offered a dyadic or two-part model of the study of signs. Saussure argued that sign is composed of: In Peirce’s model of signs, he gave an example of which the traffic A signifier (signifiant) which is a sign for ‘stop’ would consist of: form that the sign takes; and, Representamen: red-light facing traffic at an intersection Interpretant: the idea that the red light indicates that the The signified (signifi) is the vehicles must stop. concept the sign represents. Object: vehicles halting Semiotics by Barthes Today, the signifier is commonly construed to be the material form French writer, literary theory, philosopher, critic, and semiotician of the sign. For example, if a shop has a sign with words written Roland Barthes proposed the idea that there are distinct levels of as ‘closed,’ the signifier will be the letters ‘c-l-o-s-e-d,’ and the signification (levels of meaning). The first level of signification is signified concept is that the shop is closed for business. the denotation, where a sign is made up of a signifier and a signified. Connotation is a second-order signification that employs Basically, the Saussurean model refers to the signifier (signifiant) the initial sign (signifier and signified) as its signifier and adds an as the ‘sound-image’ of the sign, which is also considered as ‘the extra signified to it. psychological imprint of the sound.’ Simply, denotation refers to the definitional (dictionary definition) This indicates that the signifier serves as the material or physical or literary meaning of a sign, while connotation refers to the socio- form of the sign (something that a person can see, hear, touch, cultural and personal association of the sign. smell, or taste). On the other hand, the signified (signifi) is the mental concept of the sign, which is purely ‘psychological.’ For example, the denotative meaning of a white dove is a small breed of seed or fruit-eating bird (pigeon) that is commonly Semiotics by Peirce domesticated. Its connotative meaning, meanwhile, can be a new During the same time that Saussure was formulating his model of beginning, love, peace, prosperity, and fidelity, among others. sign, American pragmatist philosopher and logician Charles Sanders Peirce was working with his own model of sign, ‘semiotic Multimodality or semiosis,’ and the taxonomies of signs. Reading Images (1996) and Multimodal Discourse (2001) by Kress and Van Leeuwen marked the beginning of multimodality in linguistics. 06 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 6 of 8  GE2101 monument to some ancient rites that suggest that the event is In multimodality, linguists study not only language but also visual historical and spiritual. features and elements such as images, color, the layout of pages, and even material objects and architecture. Substitution: This is the process wherein there are changes or rearrangements by abstractions and generalizations in In simplest terms, multimodality refers to the use of various order to represent events or texts accordingly. sensory and communication channels to convey meaning in a message. In a way, every communication is multimodal since E.g., On war monuments, the soldiers are not life-like figures meaning is formed not just via words but also through fonts, but often larger than usual. The acts of killing were substituted pictures, page design, and so on. Multimodality has grown even by the act of slowly walking forward or standing solidly on more important in the digital era, particularly for language learners guard. who rely on many channels to “pick up” meaning in a target Evaluation: This is the process where the events and people language. are generalized in the text. Recontextualization E.g., On war monuments, people find their poses in high Machine and Mayr (2012) defined that “recontextualization always ideals and values. The monuments can also imply that the involves transformation, and what exactly gets transformed country will not forget the heroism of those who sacrificed depends on the interests, goals, and values of the context into during WWI. which the practice is recontextualized.” References: This indicates that in some texts, when some elements are Boyack, K.W., Klavans, R., & Borner, K. (2005). Mapping the changed, replaced, removed, or simplified, there is a presumed backbone of science. Scientometrics, 64, 351–374. idea that recontextualization has taken place. In https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-005-0255-6 recontextualization, these elements can be described using the Chandler, D. (1997, January 1). An introduction to genre theory. classical types of transformation mainly: ResearchGate. Deletion: This is the process wherein some aspects are Chandler, D. (2007). Semiotics: The basics. Routledge. deleted in any social practice (such as people, action, setting, Coaston, J. (2019, May 28). The intersectionality wars. etc.) as no representations in social practice can represent all Vox. https://www.vox.com/the- the aspects of it. highlight/2019/5/20/18542843/intersectionality- conservatism-law-race-gender-discrimination E.g., On war monuments of World War I, the monuments Cuncic, A. (2021). What is pop psychology?. Very Well Mind. erected in Europe mention ‘giving’ and ‘sacrifice’ and do not https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-pop-psychology- mention pain, suffering, or insanity. 5195653 de Amo, J., & Roca, A. (2021, June 10). Mechanisms for Addition: This is the process where elements were added to interpretative cooperation: Fan theories in virtual represent the text even further. communities. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg. E.g., On the war monuments mentioned earlier, the materials 2021.699976/full used to add meanings such as solidity and timelessness. Dressman, M. (2019, November 29). Multimodality and language Some elements and symbols are also added that link the learning. Wiley Online 06 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 7 of 8  GE2101 Library. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781119 472384.ch3 Dressman, M. (2019, November 29). Multimodality and language learning. Wiley Online Library. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781119 472384.ch3 Fandom and participatory culture. (n.d.). Subcultures and Sociology. https://haenfler.sites.grinnell.edu/subcultural- theory-and-theorists/fandom-and-participatory-culture/ Godsil, R.D., MacFarlane, J., & Sheppard, B. (2016). Pop culture, perceptions, and social chance (a research review). #PopJustice, 3. 3-35. https://perception.org/wp- content/uploads/2016/05/PopJustice-Volume-3_Research- Review.pdf Illinois Library (2021). Queer theory: Background. Author. https://guides.library.illinois.edu/queertheory/background Jenkins, H. (1992). Textual poachers: Television fans & participatory culture. Machin, D., & Mayr, A. (2012). How to do critical discourse analysis: A multimodal introduction. SAGE. Mcleod, S. (1970, January 1). Carl Jung. Carl Jung | Simply Psychology. Retrieved from https://www.simplypsychology.org/carl-jung.html. Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences (n.d.). What is psychology?. Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences - Department of Psychology. https://psychology.osu.edu/about/what-psychology Schaefer, D. (2019, September 4). What is affect theory? Donovan Schaefer, University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved from http://donovanschaefer.com/what-is-affect-theory/. truTV (2016). Adam ruins everything – Why solitary confinement needs to be banned [video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2wTjWC45kA Vallejos, L.M. (2013). Recognizing self-erosion is key to reversing it. Good Therapy. https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/self- erosion-finding-yourself-0403135 She coined the term ‘Intersectionality’ over 30 years ago. Here’s what it means to her today. (2020, February 20). Time. https://time.com/5786710/kimberle-crenshaw- intersectionality/ 06 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 8 of 8