Action criterion for ritual -- any type of behavior may be said to turn into ritual when it is stylized or formalized, and made repetitive in that form.
Much magico-religious behavior is nonrational, rather than irrational.
Our understanding of magic and religious behavior had been confounded by the assumption that certain distinctions are universal to the actor-oriented standpoint where as a matter of fact, the distinction is a vestige of our own folk taxonomy intruding upon the observer's frame of reference.
The fundamental criterion of ritual is the idea of formality of procedure or action that either is not directed toward a pragmatic end, or if so directed, will fail to achieve the intended aim.
If ritual activities are addressed to some mystical or supernatural power, they are religious activities.
There is ritual which is neither religious, because it does not assume the existence of spiritual beings, nor magic, because it is not aimed at some empirical end.
the absence of explicit empirical ends for nonmagico-religious ritual does not preclude its having recognized purpose within the actor's frame of reference.
Ceremonies and rites of the American high school were a regular part of extracurricular or student activities.
Three general types that sponsored, planned, and carried out the annual calendar of activities. The most dominant was formed out of the age-grade statuses. The second type grew out of the subject matter and work of formal course in the regular curriculum. The third type formed out of participation in inter-school sports competition.
Details of the pep rally.
Dealing with other rites of passage and intensification.
Discussing the senior trip.
