TY - JOUR
T1 - Beyond Bodily Co-Presence
T2 - A Micro-Sociological Study of Online Interaction Rituals
AU - Mizrahi-Werner, Jonatan
AU - Liebst, Lasse Suonperä
AU - Demant, Jakob Johan
PY - 2024/8/24
Y1 - 2024/8/24
N2 - Online interactions constitute an ever-larger part of our everyday lives. However, due to its roots in the study of face-to-face encounters, micro-sociology tends to consider online interaction as a weak substitute for its physical counterpart. The aim of this paper is to critically assess and further develop one of the most influential micro-sociological theories: Randall Collins’ Interaction Ritual (IR) theory. To this end, we conducted a qualitative, two-month longitudinal study of six World of Warcraft players. The players were both interviewed and video-observed while playing, in order to grasp the emotional and behavioral dimensions of their online IRs. Contrary to the prediction of IR theory, results showed that successful IRs with a high level of collective effervescence do take place in World of Warcraft. As such, the online IRs produced the ritual outcomes of group solidarity, emotional energy, symbols of membership, and standards of morality, which persisted for weeks. Our results add to the emerging evidence that IR dynamics may unfold in similar ways in online and offline encounters. This suggests that IR theory, and micro-sociology more broadly, should place less emphasis on bodily co-presence when theorizing the realm of online interaction.
AB - Online interactions constitute an ever-larger part of our everyday lives. However, due to its roots in the study of face-to-face encounters, micro-sociology tends to consider online interaction as a weak substitute for its physical counterpart. The aim of this paper is to critically assess and further develop one of the most influential micro-sociological theories: Randall Collins’ Interaction Ritual (IR) theory. To this end, we conducted a qualitative, two-month longitudinal study of six World of Warcraft players. The players were both interviewed and video-observed while playing, in order to grasp the emotional and behavioral dimensions of their online IRs. Contrary to the prediction of IR theory, results showed that successful IRs with a high level of collective effervescence do take place in World of Warcraft. As such, the online IRs produced the ritual outcomes of group solidarity, emotional energy, symbols of membership, and standards of morality, which persisted for weeks. Our results add to the emerging evidence that IR dynamics may unfold in similar ways in online and offline encounters. This suggests that IR theory, and micro-sociology more broadly, should place less emphasis on bodily co-presence when theorizing the realm of online interaction.
KW - Det Samfundsvidenskabelige Fakultet
KW - interaction rituals
KW - Online Interactions
KW - Randall Collins
KW - Micro-sociology
KW - digital behavior
KW - World of Warcraft
KW - Gaming
U2 - 10.1002/symb.1206
DO - 10.1002/symb.1206
M3 - Tidsskriftartikel
JO - Symbolic Interaction
JF - Symbolic Interaction
SN - 0195-6086
ER -