1. SOCIAL BACKGROUND AND CULTURE CONSUMPTION. A CLOSER EXAMINATION OF THE INFORMATION THEORY.
- Author
-
Bakker, B. F. M.
- Subjects
INFORMATION theory ,CULTURE ,EDUCATION ,SOCIAL status ,SOCIOLOGISTS - Abstract
The article examines information theory proposed by sociologist, H. Ganzeboom. The basis of his explanatory theory was the supposition that culture consisted of relatively complex forms of information. Each individual got optimal enjoyment from information on some particular level of complexity. Stimuli that were overly simple did not produce positive feelings, and stimuli that were overly complex produced negative feelings. Since they differed in their capacity to assimilate cultural information, different individuals had different standards for optimal stimulation. According to this theory, the social elite participated relatively more frequently in cultural activities because their education and cognitive intelligence better enabled them to assimilate complex forms of information. Ganzeboom developed a structural equations model in which differences in cultural participation were explained on the basis of differences in age, parental socio-economic status, degree of cultural training, educational level, occupation, income and amount of cultural knowledge.
- Published
- 1986