Pop's social side exposed
- Page 1 of 1
Turns out you're just as likely to pilfer opinions as playlists when you raid your roommate's iTunes - at least according to Columbia University sociology Prof. Duncan Watts. In a new study, Watts argues that the popular success of "cultural objects" - from Of Human Bondage by Maugham to Kelis's "Bossy" - is determined by how much a demographic knows about what other people like. Thanks to the University School of Information, Watts will be in room 340 of West Hall tomorrow from noon until 1:30 p.m. to discuss his work.
With his studies, Watts varied the amount his test subjects actually knew about others' personal tastes while the subjects were developing their own preferences.
Watts discovered that "under some conditions the perceived success of a song became a self-fulfilling prophecy." This does more than help cultural cognoscenti understand why Toby Keith keeps making quadruple-platinum albums while they struggle to find someone who can credibly discuss David Mamet's latest play. Or the legions of Kanye West fans versus the number of people who have read Chaucer. It helps explains social phenomenon from the rise of Nazism to the use of laugh tracks.
Saying that Watts is a big deal in his field would be an understatement. His work has been published in Science, Nature and American Journal of Sociology.
Despite predictably cerebral titles - "Multi-scale recurrent epidemics in a hierarchical compartment model" is a classic - his work has thought-provoking implications for everyday life. In one article, he famously modeled the small world phenomenon, the theory that spawned the overly famous conversation repellent "six degrees of separation" (or "Kevin Bacon," in some cases).
If you've ever wondered what causes your friend to relentlessly quote Will Ferell and stare blankly at Truffaut, check this guy out.
Watts's lecture won't give you all the answers, but it'll certainly be an interesting trip.
With his studies, Watts varied the amount his test subjects actually knew about others' personal tastes while the subjects were developing their own preferences.
Watts discovered that "under some conditions the perceived success of a song became a self-fulfilling prophecy." This does more than help cultural cognoscenti understand why Toby Keith keeps making quadruple-platinum albums while they struggle to find someone who can credibly discuss David Mamet's latest play. Or the legions of Kanye West fans versus the number of people who have read Chaucer. It helps explains social phenomenon from the rise of Nazism to the use of laugh tracks.
Saying that Watts is a big deal in his field would be an understatement. His work has been published in Science, Nature and American Journal of Sociology.
Despite predictably cerebral titles - "Multi-scale recurrent epidemics in a hierarchical compartment model" is a classic - his work has thought-provoking implications for everyday life. In one article, he famously modeled the small world phenomenon, the theory that spawned the overly famous conversation repellent "six degrees of separation" (or "Kevin Bacon," in some cases).
If you've ever wondered what causes your friend to relentlessly quote Will Ferell and stare blankly at Truffaut, check this guy out.
Watts's lecture won't give you all the answers, but it'll certainly be an interesting trip.