2000/01/01 by Mark Burgess, Michael E. Enzle, Marian Morry +1 · 1 citation
Social Sciences · Arts and Humanities · Environmental Science · #Participatory Visual Research Methods #Media Influence and Health #Urban Green Space and Health
paper · doi:10.1002/1099-0992(200009/10)30:5<613::aid-ejsp11>3.0.co;2-s
Sontag (1990) proposed that taking a photograph imparts social significance to the moment being captured. Two experiments were conducted to examine how the experience of being photographed affects the social relations of those who are photographed. In Experiment 1 (N=92), unacquainted members of dyads who were photographed together and then saw the resulting image displayed greater social self-categorization and greater affinity for each other than did dyads who were not photographed (p<0.05). In Experiment 2 (N=282), pairs of photographed strangers also displayed greater social self-categorization and mutual affinity than pairs of nonphotographed strangers (p<0.05). This effect occurred whether pair members were explicitly framed together in photographs or not. This result was unaffected by whether the photographed strangers were shown or were not shown their photograph. Merely opening and closing the shutter of a camera was sufficient for the development of a photo-bonding effect. Results are discussed in terms of how the experience of being photographed can affect interpersonal perception and relationship formation. The significance of being photographed (Milgram, 1977; Sontag, 1990) apparently is so strong that it promotes social self-categorization (Turner, Hogg, Oakes, Reicher, & Wetherell, 1987) both when people are photographed simultaneously and sequentially. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.