Interaction Ritual Research Articles

Order and Potentiality in Interaction Ritual Theory

Interaction ritual theory is one of the most important contributions of micro-sociological theory, tying together the production of local order and actors’ ongoing projects. Although Goffman replaced the “social” order of classical anthropology with an endogenous “interaction” order, such theory conceives ritual as reflecting and enacting an existing structure. Drawing on recent interactionist work and developments in ritual theory, we complement this understanding of ritual with an account of potentiality. Interaction rituals undoubtedly sacralize the self that is presented in interaction and defend the interaction order within which such selves are enmeshed, yet they simultaneously open up potential avenues for transformation of selves and relationships. Ritual action is strewn with moments in which the world appears not as it is but as it could be: a subjunctive “what if” of social life. We show how focusing on the interplay between order and potentiality in interaction ritual provides a more precise way to understand interaction and new ways to approach forms of interactional inequality.

Stages and causes of the evolution of language and consciousness: A theoretical reconstruction.

This article presents a refinement of theoretical explanations of the main stages of linguistic and cognitive evolution in anthropogenesis. The concepts of language, consciousness, self-consciousness, the self, the unconscious, the subconscious, and the relation between free will and determinism remain at the center of active and complex debates in philosophy and neuroscience. A basic theoretical apparatus comprising the central concepts of "concern" and "providing structure" (an extension of the biological concept of "adaptation") develops the paradigm of the extended evolutionary synthesis. Challenge-threats and challenge-opportunities are invariably associated with concerns pertaining to sustenance, safety, sexuality, parenthood, status, and emotional support. The consolidation of successful behavioral tries (tries), in response to these challenges occurs through the formation of a variety of providing structures including practices, abilities, and attitudes. These structures are formed through mechanisms of interactive rituals and internalization. These novel practices facilitate the transformation of both techno-natural environmental niches and group niches. The emergence of new structures gives rise to new challenges and concerns, which in turn necessitate undertaking of new tries. In the context of African multiregionalism, hominin groups and populations that experienced favorable periods of demographic growth, active migration, genetic, technological, and skill exchange also underwent significant demographic disasters. During the most unfavorable bottleneck periods only the most advanced groups, populations and species survived. The achieved potential for these abilities was consolidated as complexes of innate assignments in gene pools through the Baldwin effect and the multilevel selection. This logic provides an explanation for the main stages of language and speech complication (from holophrases and articulation to complex syntax), as well as the emergence of new abilities of consciousness (from the expansion of attention field to self-consciousness and the "I"-structure).

Offering gifts in Chinese: An interaction ritual approach

Offering gifts in Chinese: An interaction ritual approach

“I Should Pay:” Interaction Ritual Presentation in PK Live Streaming

This study examines the phenomenon of “PK Live streaming” on Douyin, a leading Chinese social platform for short‐form content. Through participant observation and in‐depth interviews, the study explores the underlying motivations that drive users to participate fervently in PK Live streaming. Notable for its direct format, heightened emotional intensity and symbolic components, PK Live streaming has generated significant financial gains. The results of the study highlight the important role of interaction rituals in shaping user behavior during PK Live streaming sessions. This analysis elucidates how the strategic deployment of interaction rituals in PK Live streaming systematically engages users, capturing their attention and driving platform success.

Rereading art workshops as an interaction ritual for knowledge formation and artists’ development

Rereading art workshops as an interaction ritual for knowledge formation and artists’ development

Making and transcending boundaries: the effect of ritual on nationalism

In explaining national identity as an indicator of subjective belonging to the nation-state, researchers have examined factors such as occupational structure, economic discrimination, competition, and political recognition. However, the influence of cultural factors has often been neglected. By investigating the moderating effect of Shia and Sunni rituals on national identification, I find that the nature of rituals significantly influences the strength of national identity among subordinate ethnic groups. In Shia culture, the solidarity generated through ritual practices extends into national identity, fostering the formation of a confessional supra-identity. In contrast, rituals centered on personal piety in Sunni Islam do not produce the same effect. I propose a theory of interethnic solidarity based on ritual processes. A qualitative analysis of the cases of Turkey and Iran shows that in Turkey, the absence of cross-ethnic ties forged through less intense rituals leads to weaker national identity among Sunni Kurds and higher perceived ethnic discrimination. In Iran, however, the frequent practice of interactive rituals that transcend ethnic boundaries strengthens national identity among Shia ethnic minorities and reduces perceived ethnic discrimination. This research underscores how communal, intensive rituals play a key role in explaining variations in national identification.

Harnessing computational techniques to analyze and enhance fandom engagement through interaction ritual chains

Abstract. This study explores the application of Interaction Ritual Chains (IRC) theory and computational techniques to analyze and enhance fandom engagement within the Chinese Australian community. By integrating sentiment analysis, social network analysis, and gender-based language analysis, this research provides a comprehensive understanding of how emotional energy, shared focus, and bodily synchronization contribute to fan interactions. We employ a predictive mathematical model to quantify these IRC components and their impact on engagement, leveraging data mining, natural language processing (NLP), and machine learning. The findings reveal the dynamics of fan behavior and offer insights into personalized content recommendations, gamification, and virtual reality experiences to foster deeper emotional bonds and sustained engagement. This study bridges the gap between theoretical frameworks and practical applications, providing a robust foundation for future research on digital fandoms.

Cultural Practice, Artistic Expression and Online Interaction in the Context of Contemporary Chinese Patriotism: A Case Study of Awakening Lion (醒·狮)

ABSTRACT Limited research has addressed how drama balances censorship and commercial gain with political correctness and profitability. By applying interaction ritual chains theory and digital ethnography, this article examines how audiences of Awakening Lion generate emotional energy, enhance national spirit and patriotism, and spill over these energies into commercial consumption through online interactions. We argue that Awakening Lion uses intangible cultural heritage and collective memory to strengthen cultural approval and national identity among audiences. The shared identities and moral beliefs fostered by emotional energy further promote the nation's aesthetic and commercial potential.

The victims' shoes trope and emerging solidarity in political protest

AbstractBy providing an overview of the rich and surprising ways in which the victims' shoes trope becomes utilised in political protests as the focus of interaction ritual chains, this article elaborates on the three distinct ways through which moral communities of solidarity position themselves. Firstly, moral communities are often formed around aspects of large‐scale atrocities such as commemoration, victimhood and past injustices that, I argue, strengthen nationalist sentiments. The second type of moral communities of solidarity are those that demand ‘rights’ and claim ‘duties’ for promoting particular sectoral agendas. In the third type, the shoes serve to build solidarities that are future‐oriented and aim at promoting universal human rights. By using Goffman's Frame Theory and Collins' Interaction Ritual Chain Theory, this article analyses protests from around the world in which the victims' shoes trope has been utilised to tackle a wide range of subjects—gun and domestic violence, unemployment, Covid‐19 policies, institutional abuse, road safety, commemorations, antiwar and climate protests and more.

Elites and ordinariness in cross-status encounters: Adding Goffman's ritual interaction order to sociological interpretations

Elites and higher-class people often downplay – even conceal – their status when interacting with people of lower class/status than themselves. This finding has been reported from several countries in the Global North. It is also shown in research from disparate academic fields and disciplines: the sociology of class, psychology, cognitive decision-making, and microsociology. This paper reviews and synthesises the literature on elites and high-status people who downplay social differences in cross-status social interaction. It makes two main contributions: First, I show that the phenomenon is more widespread transnationally than especially Nordic researchers have assumed. The second contribution comes from tracing the theoretical interpretations in the research. I notice tendencies of an individual – structure dualism in some strands of research, with the relevant analytical levels being the broader moral repertoires and predispositions. Other strands of research suffer from overly individualist interpretations. I argue that what is missing in most current research on cross-status interaction, is an adequate theoretical grasp of the social situation. I discuss how the study of cross-status interaction can be fertilised by the classical microsociological idea of situations’ existence in themselves, a social domain that cannot be reduced to dispositions or broader culture. I engage here especially Erving Goffman's ritual interaction order. From this vantage point, I also highlight situational variation, something attended to by few studies of cross-status interaction.

Playing to Collaborate: Using Cooperative Board Games to Experience and Reflect on Collaboration in Upper Secondary Education

There is a growing interest among researchers in using board games for supporting learning in school contexts. Co-op board games is a relatively new and promising type of games, which seems well-suited for improving students’ collaboration skills. In this paper, we explore how two groups of Danish high school students interact when playing two different co-op games, The Mind and Forbidden Island, and how they reflect upon their shared game experiences. The data collection is based on video observations of group interaction and student interviews, which use stimulated video recall. In this way, we are able not only to describe the students’ perceived outcomes of the gaming activities, but also their in-game practices. Our data analysis is informed by microsociological perspectives (Goffman and Collins), which are used to map the group interaction rituals and social norms of the students’ gaming encounters. Based on the data analysis, we identify two analytical themes, which concern the students’ use of verbal and non-verbal communication practices as well as their socialisation processes. The findings suggest that co-op games may be used as a valuable educational tool for qualifying high school students’ collaboration skills as well as strengthening their group relations. The students especially valued playing The Mind, which they tried playing for multiple game rounds. Based on these findings, we discuss recommendations for the further use and study of co-op board games in educational settings.

Fans and Friendships: The Power of Live Concerts among Chinese Young Adults

This qualitative study explores the concert-going experiences of Chinese young adults, focusing on the role of parasocial relationships and interactive ritual chains in shaping their emotional engagement and social interactions. Through in-depth interviews with nine participants, the research reveals how social media fosters parasocial relationships, enhancing fans’ emotional connections with pop stars and motivating concert attendance. The study also examines the ritual of exchanging souvenirs, which strengthens communal bonds and distinguishes true fans through their non-commercial exchanges. The findings contribute to a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted appeal of live pop music concerts.

Research on the International Communication Effect of “Genshin Impact” on YouTube From the Perspective of Interaction Ritual Chain Theory

Research on the International Communication Effect of “Genshin Impact” on YouTube From the Perspective of Interaction Ritual Chain Theory

On the cult of the individual: The Quantified Self public gatherings, self-tracking, and individualism

The article explores the relationship between individualism and group affiliation in the context of self-tracking technology. Prior research establishes that self-tracking fosters both self-focus and collective interactions. The article proposes that Durkheim’s notion of the cult of the individual offers a lens to understand the interplay of individualism and group formation in self-tracking. The notion of the cult of the individual suggests that individualism can be a source of public gatherings. While Durkheim’s notion remained largely untested for over a century, this study aims to build upon Durkheim’s framework by operationalizing it using Collins’s interaction ritual theory. By operationalizing the cult of the individual as a specific form of interaction ritual, we can analyze the collective mechanisms at play within the Quantified Self movement. This group organizes a community of self-trackers who share personal data during public gatherings. The article explores these public gatherings by deciphering their video recordings. Quantified Self-individualist gatherings are constituted by the co-presence of self-focused people, presenting one after the other their personal data following a script, and defending individuals against profaning situations. Quantified Self gatherings formed a transnational interaction ritual chain in approximately 71 cities on four continents, confirming that individualist gatherings can achieve a wide diffusion. Therefore, this original operationalization of Durkheim’s notion of the cult of the individual illustrates its enduring relevance and potential for broader application.

Festive culture, social hierarchization, and urban inequality: Analysis of the fallas of València (1981–2019)

ABSTRACT Festive rituals have been analyzed as rituals of interaction with great capacity to generate group membership and economic impact. However, the conflictual dimension of these rituals should be taken into account, as festive rituals are also spaces of conflict and exclusion. In this sense, ritual festivities can lead to urban cohesion and the generation of local identities, but they can also reinforce internal social divisions, reproducing social inequalities and expressing the social hegemony of the dominant elites. In this sense, the fallas of Valencia constitute a carnivalesque festive ritual that shows exactly these effects, since the organization of the fallas commissions represents one of the city’s principal forms of social participation and cohesion, but at the same time reproduces the social hierarchization of urban districts. Thus, one of the main formats is found in the stratification by neighborhoods. The fallas reflect the economic strength of the traditionally socially dominant neighborhoods, but also show the emergence of new high-income neighborhoods, with new commissions defined by high resources. In this way, studying the fallas is a way of studying the urban hierarchy of Valencia, as they have gone hand in hand throughout the period studied.

Social Distancing in an Interactive Approach: A Typology and Functions of Visual Representations of the Concept

The aim of the article is to analyze visual representations of the concept of social distancing on the basis of material retrieved from the Internet. The examples cited in the text primarily refer to verbal expressions and nonverbal signs operating in English-speaking countries. In the first part, we will introduce the reader to the broader context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly changed the meaning of the term social distancing. In the next part, we draw on the theoretical work of Erving Goffman and analyze the practice of maintaining social distancing as a kind of interaction ritual. In the third part, we will place the concept of social distancing within the framework of Edward T. Hall’s proxemic research. The final section of our discussion will analyze visual images referring to social distancing featured on COVID masks and other artifacts. We also propose our own typology of these visual representations of social distancing and the functions they serve.

Ritualized host-tourist interaction and storytelling intentions: the roles of sense of belonging and group size

Guided by interaction ritual chains theory, this research assesses the relationship of ritualized host-tourist interactions on sense of belonging and storytelling intentions, using group size (small vs. moderate vs. large) as a moderating variable. Three studies were conducted using different ritual contexts (i.e. tea, bonfire, wedding). Findings suggested that the intensity of host-tourist interactions (strong vs. weak) impacts tourists’ sense of belonging and storytelling intentions. The research also found that sense of belonging mediates, while group size moderates, the relationship of ritualized host-tourist interaction with storytelling intentions. When group size was moderate (small, large), the impact of strong ritualized host-tourist interactions was greater (not significantly different), relative to weak interaction conditions. Theoretical and practical takeaways are provided.

Decision as ritual: How power structure affects collective tourism destination decision-making

The optimal destination decision made by a group is the one that perfectly balances group utility maximization with individual satisfaction. The power structure of the group and personal interactions underpinning group decision-making will directly determine individuals’ evaluations of and emotions generated by these decisions. However, research has not sufficiently revealed this pattern, which limits our understanding of how optimal group decisions can be made. By integrating the power perspective with the theory of interactive ritual chains, this study applies the experiential focus group observation method to track the decision-making process. The analysis produces six models of that process, which show how different power structures and leadership influence the joint focus of attention, shared mood and behavioral co-presence in reaching a decision. In summary, leader democracy and effective equality can create a rewarding situation, influencer dominance creates a paradoxical situation, while, multiple leadership, ineffective equality and leader dominance lead to a ritualistic punishment situation.

Study of the influencing mechanism of user interaction behavior of short video e-commerce live-streaming from the perspective of SOR theory and interactive ritual chains

Study of the influencing mechanism of user interaction behavior of short video e-commerce live-streaming from the perspective of SOR theory and interactive ritual chains

Despair and Hope in Nonsense: A Study of the Subcultural Ritual of YouthTaking "Crazy Literature" as an Example

In the era of intelligent communication, the phenomenon of folk discourse production in online society is increasingly common. From the initial roaring style to the prevalent crazy literature today, various so-called internet literature emerges endlessly, becoming a media spectacle and also giving various forms of expression to the subculture of despair. Although crazy literature belongs to the category of the subcultural ritual of despair, those who are despairing are not despairing. Young people release emotions in despair through hysterical nonsense, and seek hope by establishing emotional connections with others in the same circle. This paper analyzes crazy literature from the perspective of interactive ritual chains, explores the formation mechanism of discourse carnival, and reveals the cultural symptoms behind crazy literature, providing a pathway for understanding crazy literature and the culture of despair.