Elements & Characteristics of a Trend

ERROL P. BAYONETA
OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson the learners
can:
1. point out the elements that make up
a trend (HUMSS_MCT12-Ia-b-4);
2. describe the different characteristics
of a trend (HUMSS_MCT12-Ia-b-5);
and
3. illustrate the elements and
characteristics of a trend through
symbols.
What makes a trend a trend? In the previous module, you
have learned the distinction between a fad and a trend. A
trend is a pattern of behavior demonstrated by a big
number of people within a particular period and that
which continuously grow and evolve overtime while a fad
is an intense but short-lived fashion. With this distinction,
we can therefore identify the elements which comprise a
trend. In this regard, Urgel (2017) enumerated the
following elements and characteristics of a trend:
Elements of a
Trend
Number of participants

Number of participants pertains to people who

follow a certain trend which is started by an
individual or a group of people. The group then
grows into a community, and eventually swells into
national and international societies
For example, the prevailing fashion of a period, follows what celebrities
are wearing or what fashion designers offer. People often copy the
trendsetters and so a new fashion trend develops. In the recent century,
styles of clothing are usually distinguished by decades. One example of
this is denim jeans that became a casual wear by all genders on a
regular basis. Jeans are especially perfect for crafting swoon-worthy
ensembles mostly due to the fact that they work well with just about
anything especially when it comes to different looks (Griswold and
Maguire 2020).
Pattern of behavior

Pattern of behavior refers to a trend that is formed from

repetitive actions of people. For example, the simple act of taking
a selfie has now become a cultural trend. It is almost impossible
not to see someone taking a selfie in any place - be it in a tourist
spot, in a restaurant, in a hotel lobby, beside a movie poster in a
cinema, in a concert hall, and at an event, among others.
Before smartphones and portable digital cameras, pictures
or portraits were taken by another person. The selfie
phenomenon enabled people to construct themselves
visually and present it to the public by putting it on social
media. Others view the taking of selfies with disdain as a
symbol of narcissism and superficiality, while others consider
it as an act of self-exploration and a gauge for acceptance.
Long period of time

Long period of time is one of the crucial elements

of a trend which means that a trend has to have a
long-time frame, sometime running for decades. A
trend may experience some ups and downs in
popularity, may fade away, and may recur.
A good example of this element of trend is the telephone. It is a
communication instrument that revolutionized modern living and
created various social impacts. It was soon overtaken by the
popularity of mobile phones in the late 1990s that have text
messaging feature. Then newer technologies allowed smartphones to
include many applications and internet connectivity. Although
telephones are still present in homes and offices, smartphones
clearly have gotten ahead in functionality and usage.
Cause

Cause refers to the starting point of a trend which can be an idea, a technology, an event
or a person. All trends have beginnings and someone or somebody definitely started it.
The question here is, how did it start? Now, this becomes quite obvious as all material
elements of a culture started with one’s ideas, therefore, it is also conclusive that one
starting point of a trend was an idea. Someone or somebody thought about it in the first
place. Let us go back to the evolution of telephone mentioned above. If you will try to
think about it, it was Alexander Graham Bell who first invented and engineered the very
first telephone back in 1876 (https://www.britannica.com).
What do you think prompted him to such an endeavor? Well, if you guessed that it
began with an idea of bridging the gap of a long – distance relations though live
voice communication then you must be right. So, besides the snail mails which
were already prevalent those times, people had another option – the telephone.
Fast forward a bit, back in the late 1990’s, these messages through mails or letters
evolved and entered the digital world through beepers while telephones also
evolved into cellular mobile phones. At present, all those separate features plus
some more were combined into the devices we presently called “smartphones.”
Believe it or not, all of these were one’s ideas which eventually turned into a reality.
Consequence

Consequence refers to the considerable impact or influence of a trend. Social

networking has become an encompassing trend that tends to influence
behaviors of online users. With the popularity of smartphones, users began
subscribing to various social networking portals which enable them to post
activity statuses and photos, and even connect with celebrities. Currently, these
social media platforms and their messaging and video conferencing features are
finding their relevance today especially for the students and teachers.
For example, due to the pandemic, teachers, students and parents use these
features for the virtual teaching and learning process. However, this trend can also
create a rather negative consequence among its followers. One example is
depicted on the illustration below. Quality time among family members to share
one another’s presence is being diverted to other less relevant concerns brought
about by the social media. They can literally be described as “near yet so far”
which means that they may be physically near each other, in fact, sharing food on
the same table, yet their attention is far from the family moment.
Characteristics of Trends
Trends are difficult to study and analyze. Studying them is like
predicting the future and determining what changes may possibly
last and thus have wide effects on society and the people. Just like
predicting an incoming rain or storm, it is quite difficult to
measure its impending aftermath. It may yield a good outcome for
the farmers especially when they are in great need of water for
their crops, but at the same time it can also yield damages to
other areas.
Rehn and Lindkvist (2013) mentioned a so-
called hierarchy of trends, which explains
why trends seem to have varying reach,
effects, and influences on people. This
hierarchy is a representation of the scale of
the development of a trend. To better explain
this, here is the tabular representation of
these characteristics with some examples.
Characteristics Microtrends
These are “little things that
happen all around us all the
time, the tiny shifts that
occur in everything from
Descriptions clothes we wear and the
and snacks we eat to the way
Features we work, play, and love.”
These trends happen right
now and are outright
observable.
Smartphone Apps/Games
which are dependent on
Example/s the capabilities of a
smartphone (these
apps/games oftentimes lose
their popularity overtime).
Macrotrends Megatrends Gigatrends
These are These are macrotrends that These are “trends
“aggregated have grown up and moved that are so general
microtrends or more out. They are big, bold and that they affect most
sweeping changes affect the lives of great areas of human life─
that are affecting swathes of the human race.” or, at least, more than
society.” They can last for decades and one aspect of life or
They provide major are “so pervasive as to be more than one
changes that are generally known.” They have industry.” They are
perceptible in the become the prevailing usually identified to
societal level for a condition that has become too define an era
longer period normal.
Varying Smartphone Smartphones which are Internet or the World
brands (iPhones vs. dependent on the internet. Wide Web which may
android phones) Smartphones are widely used be considered as the
Battle for popularity by almost all people in the soul of almost all
of these world. technology.
smartphones
Besides the above example, trends can also refer to movements,
ideologies, concepts, beliefs, and more. The important thing in
studying trends is to observe them closely for subtle and sudden
shifts that ultimately affect people, cultures, and societies in general.
In the next module, you will be provided with a more in-depth study
of the characteristics/ hierarchy of trends.
The
End