The signifying self a psycho-social semiotic analysis of people watching by Arthur Asa Berger

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Berger, Arthur Asa, 1933-

Series:

Brill research perspectives

Popular culture (Brill Academic Publishers)

Popular culture [2589-4439]

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Self-perception--Social aspects.

Self-perception.

Body image.

Expression (Philosophy).

Semiotics.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

Leiden Boston Brill [2025]

Summary:

A study in people watching. It uses semiotics, psychoanalytic theory and sociological perspectives to consider how people present themselves to the world and are assessed by those watching them. It deals with people's physical attributes, such as their age, teeth, bodies and the brands of things they wear and use to suggest how those watching them make decisions about them

Contents:

Half Title

Series Information

Title Page

Copyright Page

Contents

Acknowledgments

Figures

1 Introduction

1.1 Semiotics Theory

1.2 A Primer on Semiotics

1.3 Umberto Eco on Aberrant Decoding

1.4 Ferdinand de Saussure on What Is a Sign?

1.5 Clotaire Rapaille on Imprinting

1.6 Brands

1.7 Material Culture

1.8 Dirk vom Lehn on Interactionist Sociology

2 The Signifying Body

2.1 Signifiers of the Self

2.2 Media and People Watching

2.3 Age

2.4 Race

2.5 Gender

2.6 The Female Body

2.7 Noses

2.8 Social Significance of Noses

2.9 Cultural Significance of Noses

2.10 Psychological Significance of Noses

2.11 Identity and Self-Expression

2.12 Psychological Challenges from Rhinoplasty

2.13 Teeth

2.14 Men's Hairstyles and Beards

2.15 Commonly Held Opinions about Hairstyles

2.16 Cultural and Religious Symbolism of Beards

2.17 Nonverbal Behavior and Body Language

2.18 Facial Expressions

2.19 Paul Ekman on Facial Expression

2.20 Facial Expressions Do Not Reveal Emotions

3 Material Culture

3.1 The Branded Self

3.2 What Is a Brand?

3.3 Hats

3.4 Smartphones and Cellphones

3.5 Shoes

3.6 A Note on Males and Their Shoes

3.7 Glasses

4 Coda

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references

Description based on online resource; title from digital title page (viewed on March 24, 2025)

Other Format:

Print version Berger, Arthur Asa The Signifying Self

ISBN:

9004712801

9789004712799

9004712798

9789004712805

OCLC:

1463771007

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license