As a consequence of their size and fragility, small groups depend on
cohesion. Central to group continuation are occasions of collective
hedonic satisfaction that encourage attachment. These times are
popularly labeled “fun.” While groupness can be the cause of fun, we emphasize the effects
of fun, as understood by participants. Shared enjoyment, located in
temporal and spatial affordances, creates conditions for communal
identification. Such moments serve as commitment devices
building affiliation, modeling positive relations, and moderating
interpersonal tension. Further, they encourage retrospective narration,
providing an appealing past, an assumed future, and a sense of
groupness. The rhetoric of fun supports interactional smoothness in the
face of potential ruptures. Building on the authors’ field observations
and other ethnographies, we argue that both the experience and recall of
fun bolsters group stability. We conclude by suggesting that additional
research must address the role of power and boundary-building in the
fun moment.
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