In a story highlighting one woman’s lifelong dedication to the field of cultural anthropology, 28-year-old Posy Woodard has confirmed that she is an active member of 87 different group chats.
“I use the term ‘active’ very loosely,” Posy informed reporters. “It might mean doing something as small as emphasize-reacting to someone’s message or simply texting my name in the group. However, I find I learn the most when I am engaging in some way or another with the group, rather than just passively observing.”
Similar to how Jane Goodall conducted her behavioral studies on wild chimps by integrating herself into their group for an extended period of time, Posy says every time she is added to a new group chat –– whether it be for work, a rec league, or a bachelorette party –– she tries to fully immerse herself in the mindset and dynamics of said group.
“You’ll never truly understand why someone would feel compelled to begin a message to 13 women they barely know with the phrase ‘hey ladies’ until you’ve done it yourself,” she explained, adding, “It makes you feel, like, weirdly powerful.”
While most cultural anthropologists focus on one group of people at a time, Posy’s research is unique due to the fact that she is actively collecting primary research on so many different groups at once.
“The quantity of data she has collected on so many distinct cultural groups is astounding,” Dr. Katelyn Webber, head of the Anthropology Department and the University of Michigan, told reporters. “She has unearthed answers to questions about different social groups that have eluded researchers for decades. Questions like, ‘What happens in the work group chat created for a business trip once said trip has concluded?’ and ‘What is the dynamic in a bachelorette group chat when none of the bride’s friends know one another?’ and ‘How many people actually send messages in the group chat for a rec soccer team?’”
Posy’s answers to said questions were, respectively, “One of your coworkers will drunk text the group once, months later, and everyone will feel awkward about it the following Monday” and “It’s like she’s the queen and we are her subjects” and “Just the guy who made the group chat, but he’ll send multiple messages per day.”
Dr. Webber says Posy’s group chat engagement has potential to completely reshape the way the entire field conducts research.
“It has become apparent that it’s not enough to simply observe a group and interview its members,” she said. “One must actually become an earnest member of that group, no matter how daunting a task that may be.”
While Posy is excited about how her methodology might transform the discipline, she says her love of people is what really inspires her research –– that and her fear of being left out of literally anything.
“People are just endlessly fascinating creatures,” she said. “Plus, one time, two of my friends were laughing about something that happened in a group chat I wasn’t in and it hurt my feelings.”
