Sociology Seminar 
Time: :14:00 pm – 15:30 pm

Date: 11th of december
Room : 3049

Mads MEIER JÆGER (University of Copenhagen) – ” Breadth, Depth, or Consecration? Omnivorousness Tastes in Music and Perceptions of Status and Competence”

Abstract : 

“This study examines whether omnivorous music tastes—broad preferences spanning multiple genres—create more favorable perceptions of status and competence compared to traditional highbrow–lowbrow distinctions. Using a pre-registered survey experiment, researchers presented respondents with vignettes of hypothetical individuals’ top 10 most-streamed artists, manipulating four key attributes: number of genres (omnivorousness), genre consecration level, listening volume (voracity), and artist consecration. Data on genre and artist consecration came from a separate survey of 1,284 respondents. Results reveal distinct patterns in how musical taste affects social perceptions. Omnivorous tastes (listening to more genres) enhanced perceptions of sociability and cosmopolitanism, with people viewing omnivores as more social, creative, and open-minded. Conversely, preferences for more consecrated genres like classical music and jazz improved perceptions of traditional status markers—social rank, economic competence, cultural sophistication, and trustworthiness—but decreased sociability ratings. Artist-level consecration and listening volume showed minimal effects on perceptions. These findings suggest that omnivorous and consecrated tastes operate through different mechanisms: omnivorous preferences signal modern social capital (creativity, sociability), while consecrated genre preferences signal traditional cultural capital (wealth, sophistication). This supports theories that contemporary cultural distinction involves both traditional highbrow-lowbrow hierarchies and newer omnivore–univore divisions. This study is joint work with Rikke Haudrum Rasmussen and Mikkel Haderup Larsen.”

Lien zoom : https://zoom.us/j/98418855998?pwd=qJDmO3Xt4Y4p2nKcnV873LHpgGeId0.1

Organizers:
Paola TUBARO (Pôle sociologie CREST)

Patrick PRÄG (Pôle sociologie CREST)

Julia NICOLAS  (Pôle sociologie CREST)

Sponsors:
CREST