Name dropping

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Namedropping (from English dropping = dripping, to drop ) or reference naming originally describes the behavior by constantly mentioning prominent names to give the impression that you really know the named people. Peter Collett describes name dropping as the most important means besides place dropping and experience dropping in orderto starta successfulattempt atupgrading one's social status : "[It] serves the common need for all of us to be of the same opinion". Because the famous name conveyed in the conversation suggests to the counterpart that this name holder also seems to him well.

In science

In the following, name dropping refers to behavior in ( scientific ) discourse in which the mere mention of known names takes the place of substantive justification of one's own point of view. The aim of the user is to support their own argumentation and to strengthen the weight of their own arguments by making use of the professional competence of third parties without any further reference to their work (see also argumentum ad verecundiam ). A second aspect is that one's own lack of knowledge takes a back seat to that of the authorities involved . In addition, the opposite should be given a feeling of one's own superiority through the knowledge advantage claimed. Namedropping is particularly popular, for example, in the acknowledgments of young researchers in the social sciences, in order to emphasize the supposed rank of the work.

Göran Hägg adds the term pseudo verification , which has made it into the media world since the 1970s: “Even a cursory mention of Wittgenstein or Plato makes most people so nervous that they no longer dare to think about it object myself ".

In a guidebook on the technology of scientific work you will find the following well-intentioned, but all too seldom followed advice: “Imagine the namedropping , as the mere reference to (mostly not or only superficially) read literature is called, this imposing behavior, which unfortunately too much by us university teachers often practiced, not after. Simple refusals are also part of the course and its learning ”.

Another variant of name dropping is called Physics envy in the English-speaking world . It consists in the unjustified use of physical and mathematical technical terms in non-scientific subjects. The aim is to give the impression that your own theory is just as well-founded and rigorous as e.g. B. physical theories. An example of this is the so-called “psychological field theory ”, which was taken up in the joke made by the physicist Alan Sokal, known as the Sokal affair .

In marketing

In relation to marketing activities, the term refers to the process of repeating the name of the product, brand or company on every suitable or inappropriate occasion in order to increase its awareness. But it also means to associate a product with a certain person or brand in order to increase the awareness of the product. The prominence of the person or brand should indicate that the product is particularly attractive or important.

Professional counselors of all kinds and for all target groups try their respective clientele name dropping as a means of suggestion of competence and self-confidence recommended in sales and marketing. Sometimes name dropping is only used to expand social networks by interspersing the name of the business partner as often as required.

In art

The conceptual artist Antje Seeger brought in 2014 on an outside wall of the exhibition building K20 of the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen in Dusseldorf , will be announced on the artists and their exhibitions and advertised in the same font as the announcements following additional putative programming item: Antje Seeger - name dropping / since July 2nd, 2014 . The art museum, which initially did not know about this action and did not authorize it, decided to leave the addition. However, supplemented by a yellow sticker with the absurd inscription Extended until 01/26/2014.

literature

  • Roland Topor : Memoirs of an old asshole (original title: Mémoires d'un vieux con , 1975, translated by Eugen Helmlé). Diogenes, Zurich 1977, ISBN 3-257-01548-8 . (Paperback, ibid. 1980ff., ISBN 978-3-257-20775-0 )
  • Thorn-R. Kray: On Name-Dropping: The Mechanisms Behind a Notorious Practice in Social Science and the Humanities. In: Argumentation. An International Journal on Reasoning. Volume 30, No. 4, November 2016, pp. 423-441.
  • Florian Freistetter : Science meets communication. Both dead. September 16, 2015, contribution to the ScienceBlogs blog writing competition 2015. (scienceblogs.de; full text)

See also

  • Ipse dixit , idiom that refers to a person-related authority argument
  • Testimonial , in advertising the advocacy of products etc. by a person who is mostly known to the target group

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ See the essayistic-sarcastic approach in: Joseph Epstein : Narcissus leaves the pool: essays . Houghton Mifflin, Boston 2007, pp. 80ff.
  2. ↑ Peter Collett: I see something that you don't say. This is how you interpret the gestures of others - and know what they are really thinking . Bastei Lübbe, Bergisch Gladbach 2006, p. 119. (books.google.com)
  3. ↑ Thorn-R. Kray: On Name-Dropping: The Mechanism Behind a Notorious Practice in the Social Sciences and Humanities. In: Argumentation. An International Journal on Reasoning. Volume 30, No. 4, November 2016.
  4. ↑ Matthias Nöllke: The language of power: How to see through it. How to use them. Planegg Haufe media group, Munich a. a. 2010, p. 100.
  5. ↑ Bettina Hollstein: Social Capital and Status Passages - The Role of Institutional Gatekeepers in Activating Network Resources. In: Martin Diewald, Jörg Lüdicke: Social networks and social inequality - on the role of social capital in modern societies . VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, Wiesbaden 2007, p. 55 ff., Here p. 74.
  6. ↑ Göran Hägg, Susanne Dahmann: The art of speaking convincingly: 44 lessons in practical rhetoric . Beck, Munich 2003, p. 70.
  7. ↑ Norbert Franck, Joachim Stary: The technique of scientific work: a practical guide . Schöningh, Paderborn / Munich 2006, p. 31.
  8. ^ Alan Sokal: Physics envy in psychology: A cautionary tale . New York University , accessed December 8, 2018.
  9. ↑ In the economic sector, the name of a company is usually used; Kristiina Volmari: Half a century of forest industry rhetoric. Persuasive strategies in sales argumentation . University of Vaasa, 2009, p. 180.
  10. ↑ On practice: Consider Namedropping. In: Jerry R. Wilson: 151 quick ideas to get new customers - attract an endless flow of business at no or little cost . Career Press, Franklin Lakes 2006, p. 146 ff.
  11. ^ Robert L. Shook: Hardball Selling: How to Turn the Pressure On, Without Turning Your Customer Off . Sourcebooks, Naperville 2003, pp. 30ff.
  12. ↑ Dirk Preußners: Confident behavior for engineers in sales: this is how you make your competence visible to customers . Gabler, Wiesbaden 2006, p. 152.
  13. ↑ Tomas Bohinc: Building a career without being a boss - practical guide for a successful professional career . GABAL, Offenbach 2008, p. 144.
  14. ↑ Artist surprises K20 with guerrilla action on the wall. July 11, 2014 in the portal rp-online.de , accessed on July 11, 2014.