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We All Scream for Ice Cream: Positive Identity Negotiation in the Face of Cancer
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Author(s): Bryan McLaughlin (Texas Tech University, USA), Shawnika Hull (George Washington University, USA), Kang Namkoong (University of Kentucky – Lexington, USA), Dhavan Shah (University of Wisconsin – Madison, USA)and David H. Gustafson (University of Wisconsin - Madison, USA)
Copyright: 2016
Pages: 18
Source title:
Defining Identity and the Changing Scope of Culture in the Digital Age
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Alison Novak (Rowan University, USA)and Imaani Jamillah El-Burki (Lehigh University, USA)
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-0212-8.ch006
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Abstract
In the United States, women with breast cancer often find their identity confined by a sociocultural context that encourages them to adopt an overly optimistic outlook while hiding signs of their physical illness. Online social support groups offer a promising venue for breast cancer patients to take control of their self-definition and connect with individuals going through similar experiences. During the analysis of discussion board posts for an online breast cancer support group, ice cream unexpectedly emerged as a central component of group discussions. This included frequent sexual jokes about the deliverymen that brought the women ice cream. A grounded theory analysis revealed that ice cream symbolized the pursuit of everyday, physical desires, which allowed group members to construct a joyful, but forthright, shared identity. This paper demonstrates how online support groups can enable individuals facing a health crisis to use seemingly trivial symbols to take control over their self-definition.
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