Membership Categorization Analysis

Membership Categorization Analysis (MCA) is a method used to study how people use social categories—like age, gender, or occupation—in everyday conversations to organize their interactions. It looks at how individuals classify others and themselves, which reveals underlying social norms and assumptions. By examining the language and categories people employ, MCA helps us understand how social identities are constructed and maintained through communication, shedding light on the social patterns and cultural expectations that influence behavior and interaction in various settings.