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A Theory of Resonance

Publication ,  Journal Article
McDonnell, TE; Bail, CA; Tavory, I
Published in: Sociological Theory
March 1, 2017

The metaphor of resonance often describes the fit between a message and an audience's worldviews. Yet scholars have largely ignored the cognitive processes audiences use to interpret messages and interactions that determine why certain messages and other cultural objects appeal to some but not others. Drawing on pragmatism, we argue that resonance occurs as cultural objects help people puzzle through practical challenges they face or construct. We discuss how cognitive distance and the process of emotional reasoning shape the likelihood of cultural resonance. We argue resonance is an emergent process structured by interactions between individuals that shape each other's interpretation of cultural objects, diffuse objects through interactional circuits, and create opportunities for resonance among people facing similarly shaped problems. Our approach thus identifies new processes at micro, meso, and macro levels of analysis that shape resonance and describes the pathways that might allow resonance to crystallize into broader mobilization and social change.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

Sociological Theory

DOI

EISSN

1467-9558

ISSN

0735-2751

Publication Date

March 1, 2017

Volume

35

Issue

1

Start / End Page

1 / 14

Related Subject Headings

  • Sociology
  • 4410 Sociology
  • 1608 Sociology
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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McDonnell, T. E., Bail, C. A., & Tavory, I. (2017). A Theory of Resonance. Sociological Theory, 35(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1177/0735275117692837
McDonnell, T. E., C. A. Bail, and I. Tavory. “A Theory of Resonance.” Sociological Theory 35, no. 1 (March 1, 2017): 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1177/0735275117692837.
McDonnell TE, Bail CA, Tavory I. A Theory of Resonance. Sociological Theory. 2017 Mar 1;35(1):1–14.
McDonnell, T. E., et al. “A Theory of Resonance.” Sociological Theory, vol. 35, no. 1, Mar. 2017, pp. 1–14. Scopus, doi:10.1177/0735275117692837.
McDonnell TE, Bail CA, Tavory I. A Theory of Resonance. Sociological Theory. 2017 Mar 1;35(1):1–14.
Journal cover image

Published In

Sociological Theory

DOI

EISSN

1467-9558

ISSN

0735-2751

Publication Date

March 1, 2017

Volume

35

Issue

1

Start / End Page

1 / 14

Related Subject Headings

  • Sociology
  • 4410 Sociology
  • 1608 Sociology