The Formation and Transformation Process of Taiwan’s Taik Subculture-from the Perspective of Self-Concept Theory
Date Issued
2007
Date
2007
Author(s)
Chen, Shang-Li
DOI
zh-TW
Abstract
In this thesis, I choose Taiwan’s Taike subculture as my research object. In the following we will go through many subjects as for how a developing subculture establishes its regulations, value, symbols, ceremonies, consumption and production patterns; which driving forces, social roles and factors can affect the direction of subculture. Therefore we can have a deep investigation into each group involved in the Taike subculture and come out some insightful viewpoints.
Qualitative data gathered from in-depth interviewing would be the research method we adopt in this thesis. The reaching to my interviewees started from my friends’ introduction. My introducers tracked down my interviewees based on their own impressions on Taike, also the interviewees are asked to introduce another Taike by their definitions on Taike. People who declare themselves as Taike on their online blog can be still another source of my interviewees. Total interviewees accounts for 15 members.
On the data analysis, self-concept is taken as our theory structure to conduct a thorough analysis. With in-depth interview and self-concept theory, we can inspect interviewees from both horizontal and vertical perspectives. Individual horizontal perspective is defined as his cognitive awareness toward every situation. We try to understand which mind activities are the determinant factors of how Taike members decide whether they are Taike or not, thus we can exercise categorization and segmentation among the Taike members. On the vertical perspective, by knowing how and when a person enter and exit Taike group, a forecast on Taike subculture becomes possible.
Our study reveals several interesting evidences. After more than three years of tolerance from outsiders’ prejudice, most of the members who are identified as Taike from their appearance or behavior still resisted to take the designation. Few eventually accept it though with unpleasant feelings. However, under some business organizations’ manipulation, especially in music industry, the prejudice meaning of Taike has gradually been removed. Some outsiders of Taike subculture were attracted by the traditional, passionate, genuine meanings the word “Taike” carries and join in. Our study focuses on the evolving process during 2003 to 2006, and takes a snapshot of the current Taike social group. After cross comparison among all the interviewees, we divide them into six categories and allocate those categories from hardcore toward outsiders according to their level of self involvement and self distinguish from others. We find that the key role to boost the Taike subculture would be the business organizations. The crucial point to further the Taike subculture lies in ongoing removing of prejudice, stronger marketing strategy on folk custom, well promotion to details of Taike’s life style, and creative applications of Taike’s aesthetics.
The last but not the least, we also discuss some business opportunities such as rave party on a large scale and legal racetrack, which can fulfill the needs of people who have been constrained under the over control of government.
Subjects
台客
自我概念
質性研究
市場區隔
Take
culture
subculture
self-concept
qualitative research
Type
thesis