Sociology 2172A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Conspicuous Consumption, Human Behaviour, Bob Garfield
14 May 2018
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Introduction
This course introduces students to the sociological analysis of advertising and the role that it plays in society. The history of
advertising and the relationship between advertising and popular culture will be studied. Advertising content, the mechanisms of
persuasion, and the effect of advertising on human behaviour will be considered. A closer look will be taken at the representation
of gender and various groups in advertising, children and advertising, and social advertising.
Why Study Sociology?
●Studying sociology helps us achieve a greater understanding of:
○The social world
■Social practices
■Attitudes
●What people do
, instead of just what they say
■Institutions
●Advertising is now one of our social institutions because it has such an impact
●Half of people think advertising affects our society more than elementary school system
○Ourselves
■How individuals relate to social patterns
○Others in the multicultural context of Canada
■People argue that our culture is being homogenized or that it’s being Americanized
Global Sociological Imagination
●Central Theme
○We are not alone - all of us are deeply intertwined with the reality of all nations in the world
■Look at the bigger picture
■Ex. for the most part, for couples living together having no intention of getting married then
marrying, the divorce rate is twice as high. Even if you know a happy unmarried couple, that
doesn’t matter. Bigger picture.
Sociologists Studying Advertising
●“Advertising is a very considerable part of our total culture. It is not separated from any of the other activities of our
world.” - Marshall McLuhan (1968)
○Considered to be the leading prophet of the media age
○We are only just starting to really see the impact that advertising has on our society
●Why Sociologists Study Advertising
1. Distribution of Resources
■There can be more money spent per minute in a tv ad than in a blockbuster movie
■There are agencies where someone’s whole job is coming up with super bowl ads
2. Impact on Society
■Tells us how to behave
■Dictates who is important and unimportant
■Conspicuous consumption
●Ex. you look like a loser when you have an old phone because it says you’re poor, not
with the times, etc.
●Ex. an ad from this past september in which a young girl in a cafeteria sits down and
other students get up and walk away. She comes back the next day with sparkly running
shoes, and puts her feet up on the table and the other girls stop and sit with her
○This ad has so much baggage with it around popularity and acceptance
Document Summary
This course introduces students to the sociological analysis of advertising and the role that it plays in society. The history of advertising and the relationship between advertising and popular culture will be studied. Advertising content, the mechanisms of persuasion, and the effect of advertising on human behaviour will be considered. A closer look will be taken at the representation of gender and various groups in advertising, children and advertising, and social advertising. Studying sociology helps us achieve a greater understanding of: What people do , instead of just what they say. Advertising is now one of our social institutions because it has such an impact. Half of people think advertising affects our society more than elementary school system. Others in the multicultural context of canada. People argue that our culture is being homogenized or that it"s being americanized. We are not alone - all of us are deeply intertwined with the reality of all nations in the world.
