Comic Book Fandom and Stigma Consciousness
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Western Michigan University ScholarWorks at WMU Master's Theses Graduate College 4-2013 Comic Book Fandom and Stigma Consciousness Dennis R. Gagliardo Western Michigan University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses Part of the Social Psychology and Interaction Commons, and the Sociology of Culture Commons Recommended Citation Gagliardo, Dennis R., "Comic Book Fandom and Stigma Consciousness" (2013). Master's Theses. 124. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/124 This Masters Thesis-Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate College at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. COMIC BOOK FANDOM AND STIGMA CONSCIOUSNESS by Dennis Gagliardo A thesis submitted to the Graduate College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts of Sociology Department of Sociology Western Michigan University April 2013 Thesis Committee: Gregory Howard, Ph.D., Chair Susan M. Carlson, Ph.D. David J. Hartmann, Ph.D. COMIC BOOK FANDOM AND STIGMA CONSCIOUSNESS Dennis Gagliardo, M.A. Western Michigan University, 2013 This research project explores the concept of stigma consciousness as applied to the subculture of comic book fandom. Integrating the disciplines of social psychology and cultural studies, this study examines the dynamic and socially constructed nature of the stigma process as applied to the specific cultural form of the American comic book, while identifying and measuring several variables of potential influence on perceptions of the hierarchy of American cultural values. The purpose is to address an existing gap in the academic literature of fan studies in regards to the marginalization and stigmatization of fan cultures as experienced by the members of these groups. Through the use of a questionnaire modeled on pre-existing studies in the realm of stigma research, members of the comic book fandom subculture communicate aspects of their experiences and perceptions related to their social identity as comic book fans. At its core, this project calls into question many of the claims made in the area of fandom studies and can potentially shape direction in the dialogue on the role of contemporary fandom in the social construction of identity. Copyright by Dennis Gagliardo 2013 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to the members of my graduate committee, Dr. Gregory Howard, Dr. Susan M. Carlson, and Dr. David Hartmann, for taking the time to review my work and guide me through this process. Their support and encouragement were invaluable in the completion of this project and fulfillment of my academic goals. In addition, I would like to thank the proprietors of the comic book shop utilized as the location for my field research, whose enthusiasm and willingness to accommodate my research needs was a significant contributing factor in my confidence that this endeavor was even viable. Finally, I would like to thank my wife, Cassandra, for acting as a sounding board for my ideas, for humoring my long winded discourses on topics of no interest to her, and for allowing me to test her patience time and time again. Without her, none of this would be possible. Dennis Gagliardo ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments ...................................................................................................... ii List of Tables .............................................................................................................. v Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1 Literature Review ....................................................................................................... 5 Cultural Studies and Fandom Studies .......................................................................................... 5 American Comic Books ................................................................................................................ 9 Comic Book Fandom Subculture ................................................................................................ 15 Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................ 18 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 18 Social Stigma .............................................................................................................................. 18 Cultural Hierarchy, Taste Distinctions and the Critique of Mass Culture .................................. 23 Comic Book Stigma: Origins, History, and Evolution ................................................................. 26 Social Identity ............................................................................................................................. 31 Methods .................................................................................................................. 35 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 35 Participants ................................................................................................................................ 36 Instrument ................................................................................................................................. 37 Procedures ................................................................................................................................. 38 Limitations and Delimitations .................................................................................................... 39 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................... 41 Data Entry and Coding ............................................................................................................... 41 Factor Analysis and Summated Scales ....................................................................................... 41 Linear Regression ....................................................................................................................... 45 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 49 Interpretations and Implications ............................................................................................... 49 Recommendations and Conclusions .......................................................................................... 53 References ............................................................................................................... 55 iii Table of Contents-continued Appendices A. Comic Book Fandom and Stigma Consciousness Survey Instrument .................................... 65 B. Cover Letter/Informed Consent Document ........................................................................... 72 C. Participation Incentive Coupon .............................................................................................. 74 D. Notification Letter of HSIRB Approval ................................................................................ 76 E. Frequency Tables for Questionnaire Responses .................................................................... 78 iv LIST OF TABLES 1: Stigma Consciousness Factor Analysis…………………………………………………………………......... 42 2: Stigma Consciousness Scale………………………………………………………………………………………… 43 3: Subculture Engagement Factor Analysis……………………………………………………………………… 45 4: Collinearity Statistics…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 46 5: Curve Fit P-Values………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 47 6: Results of Regression of Stigma Consciousness on Independent Variables…………………. 47 v INTRODUCTION Under the academic discipline of cultural studies, there exists a paradigm of scholarly investigation known as fandom studies. Fandom studies is primarily concerned with the social groups and phenomena that are linked to cultural and social objects, ranging from celebrities and athletes to media texts and material objects. As an academic discipline contributing to society’s body of knowledge, it explores how communities of readers and audiences are formed, how these communities construct meaning from media texts, what types of meanings they construct, the practices and activities of fandom, fandom groups as unique subcultures, the concepts of ideology and taste hierarchy as they manifest themselves in popular culture, and fandom groups’ positions and functions in the social world. In short, “the academic exploration of fandom explores the role of fandom as a social and cultural institution forming interpretive communities socially contextualizing the power of mass media” (Sandvoss, 2005, p. 10). A common theme that permeates fandom studies in general, regardless of what the specific avenue of research focus may be, is the idea that dominant social norms marginalize, devalue, or even stigmatize fandom groups and subcultures. The premise being that these fandom groups invert the traditionally dominant ideology of cultural hierarchy by placing high levels of value on cultural objects and practices generally designated as lowbrow and therefore they become