Who decides what's cool and what's not? A short video examines Raymond Loewy's universal theory of cool, the MAYA theory that suggests that ideas that are the Most Advanced Yet Acceptable (MAYA) are perceived as cool. Viewers learn how to be perceived as trendy but not weird.

Concepts

persuasion, child psychology

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Have class members view the video out of class, research some of the links, and then return for a full-class discussion
• Have groups apply Loewy's theory to a current trendy item, identifying the aspects that make the item both trendy and new

Classroom Considerations

• Ensure that all class members have Internet access before assigning the video for out-of-class viewing

Pros

• Explores the science behind Loewy's theory
• Lists additional related resources

 

Cons

• None