Midterm 1- Clothing

Question 1

do any other animals use “clothing”???

Answer 1

uniquely human

Question 2

regulation of clothing by law

Answer 2

one of two nonverbal behaviors that are regulated by law

Question 3

what are the different components of clothing? (examples of each)

Answer 3

• garments (dress, costume, apparel)
• ornaments or artifacts (badges, tattoos, masks)
• cosmetics (paints, powders, oils)
• devices (wigs, corsets)
• treatments (tattoos, curling, hair dying)
• equipment (eyeglasses, watches)
• tools (knives, toothpicks, mirrors, scissors)

Question 4

against what standard do we evaluate clothing practices of the past?

Answer 4

constantly changes, in flux

Question 5

what functions do clothing serve?

Answer 5

• decoration
• protection (physical and psychological)
• sexual attraction and availability
• self assertion
• self denial
• concealment
• group identification
• status or role

Question 6

what is the relationships between fashionability and GPA for students?

Answer 6

high fashion=lowest GPAS
low fashion (casual)=modest
"non-fashion"=highest
counter-fashion=moderate

Question 7

what is the relationship between emblems and some clothing artifacts?

Answer 7

• jewelery as emblematic comm (wedding ring, sports ring)
• tattoo emblems (teardrop prison tattoo)
• badge emblem (police)

Question 8

effect of certain types of clothing on encoders (e.g., black uniforms and sports teams; business attire)

Answer 8

• teams in black uniforms=more penalties in NFL and NHL

- in business, people were seen as more trustworthy and productive when wearing business casual

Question 9

how is group membership and status communicated through clothing?

Answer 9

-conspicuous consumption (social status)

Question 10

how can clothing communicate role deviation from a group or role?

Answer 10

-aesthetic distancing- purposely not wear “snotty” clothes for instance

Question 11

status and clothing (and “aesthetic distancing”)

Answer 11

purposely stand away from groups

-clothes indicate affluence, but only for certain groups

Question 12

is there a relationship between personality and clothing use?

Answer 12

• clothing conscious males: deliberate, guarded, defer to authority, traditional
• clothing practicality males: inhibited, cautious, dissatified, low motivation to make friends
• clothing conscious females: inhibited, anxious, defer to authority
• clothing practicality females: clever, enthusiastic, confident, outgoing

Question 13

how are social motivations manifest in people’s clothing practices?

Answer 13

-Vienna nightclub study of how women dressed

Question 14

in what way might these motivations and associated clothing use be influenced by hormones?

Answer 14

-during most fertile phase, dressed more attractive and sexy for females

Question 15

what impressions will decoders make based on a person’s clothing?

Answer 15

about their personality

Question 16

what types of clothing are associated with positive personal (for the wearer) and organizational attributes? (consider grammar school girls, business professionals, and university students as decoders of classmates, purchasing agents, and professors, respectively)

Answer 16

• grammar school: judged photos as snobbish, fun, shy, gay, intelligent, etc
• salesmen in dark suit seen as better
• teacher in shirt and tie better

Question 17

is there an interactive phenomenon associated with clothing?

Answer 17

-walking against traffic signal (business man vs. bum)

Question 18

what are the traits/qualities of people with tattoos? (e.g., weaker social bonds)

Answer 18

• weak social bonds
• past victimization
• neg. self appraisal
• more involved in drugs and alcohol
• less conscientious
• more extraverted
• high sensation seeking
• more accepting of sex without commitment

Question 19

what are the major meanings of tattoos to the wearer? (e.g., connection to self)

Answer 19

• connection self
• relationships
• life events
• spirituality

Question 20

what are the historical (e.g., group membership) and current (e.g., human canvas hypothesis) motivations for getting tattoos and piercings?

Answer 20

• symbol of past event, love, friendship
• group membership (ex: marines)
• a marker of individuality (set yourself apart)

currently:

• human canvas: treating body like a canvas to decorate
• upping the anty: seeking new and unique displays of self, self fitness *ex: face tattoo

Question 21

animal/human differences in gender and appearance

Answer 21

• cardinal (men red, dominant, brighter)

- in society, women start to wear men type clothing to appear more dominant

Question 22

how do gender/status issues influence clothing choices, esp. for women?

Answer 22

want to be taken seriously