A typology of social media rituals. Issue 4 (14th July 2022) - Trillò, Tommaso
Abstract: Given its massive volume and rapid development of new trends, the universe of user-generated content may seem utterly chaotic. Yet the flow of content is underlined by deep-rooted patterns of communication. In this article, we present the first systematic attempt to identify these patterns using the concept of social media rituals. Understood as typified communicative practices that formalize and express shared values, rituals offer a productive path to categorize popular genres of content and trace the values they convey. Integrating theoretical literature on rituals with empirical studies of social media genres, we develop a typology of 16 rituals that express diverse values, ranging from respect and responsibility to materialism and pleasure. Furthermore, we show that rituals embed different notions of good communication, as reflected in the values of authenticity, persuasion, affiliation, and demonstration. Finally, we discuss how our framework can facilitate comparative investigations of user-generated content and platform values. Lay Summary: The world of user-generated content on social media is vast and seemingly unorganized. In this article, we attempt to identify some of its overarching patterns by sorting social media content into different "rituals, " patterned ways of communicating where people express and negotiate shared values. We integrate theoretical literature on rituals with empirical studies of social media genres to develop a typology of 16 rituals. Each ritual conveys different values, ranging from respect and responsibility to materialism and pleasure. Rituals also convey different notions of what counts as good communication, emphasizing one of four communicative values: authenticity, persuasion, affiliation, or demonstration. In our conclusion, we discuss how our framework can support future comparative research on what people post to social media.