...The social norm I chose to violate was the expectancy to pay after you go out to eat. After a meal at three different places with my boyfriend, when handed the check, I asked, “I actually don’t think I can afford this meal, can we just have it?” I decided to do this because I’ve been a service worker before and I know that I would not have known how to respond to it. The places I ate at elicited all different responses from the person I asked the question to. I ate at the Ankeny Diner, Latin King, and Perkins. The first place I ate at, the Ankeny Diner, is a small diner in my hometown. Me and my boyfriend eat there often, and we happened to know our waitress because of this. When I received the check and sprung this line on her, her face immediately...
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...For my ethnomethodological experiment I tested how my roommate would react if I ate food off the floor or licked things off the counter. A disclaimer: I made sure both surfaces were clean before I did this. I looked up the definition of ethnomethodology and it is “the study of methods people use for understanding and producing the social order in which they live” (Wikipedia). There are set social ‘norms’ that everyone accepts and breaking these can gain you some weird reactions. I searched for other examples of breaking social norms, and society does and doesn’t accept along the lines of behavior. For the licking stuff off the counter, I was pouring some tea and I spilled it. When my roommate went to go get a paper towel to clean it up, I liked...
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...Amy Morris Society in general is use to things going the same way as usual. When something changes or disrupts this, people sometimes to not know how to act or understand the change. People have their own rules and moralities to live up to. Everyone understands that, even if it is not said, it is understood. When someone else breaks those, he or she is looked at differently. As if he or she has done something wrong. Even though there are different cultures, there are basic standards that everyone lives by. If there were no standards, then society would not be able to be maintained correctly. People have freedoms and liberty, but they know their limits. To have these social norms help us to live comfortably in a society together. I decided to break the norm by standing up the whole time in my history class, even though there were plenty of seats available. First of all I discussed it with my teacher, so he would understand what I was doing. Except I told him that I did not want anyone knowing about it. I entered the classroom, then sat my things at my desk, and then stood up with my notebook and pen. When the teacher came into the room and put up our notes to copy, I started writing. Which, by the way, was very difficult. More students began entering the classroom, their responses to what I was doing at first, were just weird looks. I did not mind the looks, because I was laughing on the inside. It seemed to blow the students minds because I was standing...
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...I think that McDonald's went down a good path buy creating this ad, because it tugs on the heart strings of most viewers. I think that McDonald's is definitely trying to elicit happiness, and since the dad in the car doesn't want to wake the child, he keeps driving around and around. Once the cashier understands that he doesn't want to disturb the baby sleeping, she quickly tries to get the order in so he can leave with the baby still asleep. The way I analyzed this video was that McDonald's is trying to say that they have fast, and friendly service and at most places, it's at any time of day. They are trying to reach different kinds of audiences, and I think that breaking the social norm, which is usually a mother and her child, people were...
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...When you meet a complete stranger, what do you usually say or do? Do you give them a kiss on the cheek, high five, or do you give them a hug? In our society, when we meet a complete stranger we tend to either just say “ hello”, exchange names, and a quick handshake. In my social norms project, I will be breaking the norm that our society has that when we meet a complete stranger we tend to just say “hello” and give them and a quick handshake. In this experiment I will intend to break this social norms by wearing a sign that reads “free hugs.” I will walk around a shopping center say “hello” to different individuals after this instead of giving them handshake like most people would do, I will point at my sign and see if they give me a hug instead. I have an accomplice joining me that will take notes on all the reactions that we both notice. Mostly focusing on: how people react both positive and negative, the similarities and differences on the reactions of the individuals....
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...Porsche Massey April 19, 2012 SOC-340 Spring 2012 Breaching Assignment The Things That Happen When You Break in Line The breaching experiment I chose was breaking in line. At first, I didn’t think that I was going to get much of any reaction because sometimes breaking is something I have seen occur a couple of times. However, I received a great response when I completed the task. I chose to spice up the experiment by going to three totally different places, and acting three different ways. The first way in which I was going to act was to break in line and act as if I did nothing wrong because something that the customer was doing or had violated me and I no longer wanted to wait in line behind them. The second reaction was to argue back with anyone who said something to me about breaking. The third reaction was to be apologetic but at the same time not get out of line because I felt entitled. The first place I decided to go was to a smaller retail place called Walgreens to get some reactions. I went in on March 9, 2012 at 3:00pm. The exact location was Walgreens on Highway 31 in Vestavia Al. There were approximately twenty people in the store not including the workers. As I was approaching the front of the store I noticed an array of races; Blacks, Whites, Asians, and Hispanics. Also, the ages ranged from fifteen to late sixties. The second place I went to was Wal-Mart on Lakeshore Drive in Homewood Al on April 3, 2012 at 11:00am. It was over fifty people in the...
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...Deviant Behavior Course Project Option Four: Mini Research Paper Breaking Folkways For this assignment I chose this particular research option because I am very interested in people’s reactions to experiencing things they are not used to, I also do not embarrass easily. My research involved intentionally violating common folkways in the presence of family, co-workers and strangers. After breaking common norms I than analyzed the results and recorded them below. Day One – Hugging co-workers rather than saying hello In our culture, when in the workplace, it is appropriate to greet fellow employees with a “hello”, “hi” or handshake. For the purpose of this assignment I decided to greet my coworkers with hugs, rather than saying hello and shaking their hand. Clearly the norm which I violated here were keeping the greeting casual and possibly invading my co-workers personal space. Americans are usually very adamant about not getting too close to others while in public and vice versa, so this one was fun for me. Throughout my work day, whenever I encountered a fellow employee I gave them a semi-long hug with a pat on the back, this included both male and female co-workers. I really enjoyed this one. The reactions from the people whom I greeted with a hug, rather than a simple “hello” or hand shake ranged by the particular individual and were usually along the lines of what I expected. All of the females I hugged responded with a return hug, meaning my hug...
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...is our relationship with technology. We use it to identify ourselves in different ways and another way to compete. With the rapid advancement of technology there is always the next best product out, leaving the availability to always try to be on top. Identifying ourselves with technology seems like a far out idea but is one in which we have brought upon ourselves. When we see someone with an ipad we see it as a sign of luxury and wealth. Having this product you are saying to the world that you are worth the name this product gives, and if two people have the same product the next step up is who has the better accessories. It is in this way that technology has become a social norm, where before it was only the privileged with these advancements we now see it everywhere. This where we draw the social norms from in which we feel compelled to comply with. Having social normalities to comply with brings us to the issue of the desire to be nonconformant. It is natural human nature to want to stand out and be different in a personal way. Wanting to rebel against the social conformities in which we play a role in setting is a huge part of the idea of freedom we all want to have. Being told what to wear or how to talk is all inclusive in our social identities, so why...
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...Amanda Lane 9/11/12 AP English 12. The concept of freedom means different things to different people, depending on the level of freedom that you have in your life. When people think of the definition of ‘freedom’, they might think of ‘liberty’. The definition of liberty is having the ability to act according to your own will, as long as it doesn't affect the ability of someone else to act according to their own will. Most people would agree that this is the way that a society should function. But in America, do we have true ‘freedom’? Aldous Huxley, the author of the novel Brave New World, later writes in a commentary of the book that the ideas of human freedom have been manipulated over time. Comedian and commentator George Carlin also suggests that freedom is an “illusion”. However, there have been more optimistic views, such as those of presidents Reagan and Kennedy. President Reagan said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” I do not believe that ALL freedom must necessarily be fought for, but I do believe that it is important to protect and for us to teach our children about the freedoms that we have and are lucky to have. Ultimately, freedom is already protected in the Bill of Rights. We will always have the basic freedoms such as speech, religion, to bear arms, etc. It has been ingrained into us as a nation from...
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...Social norms are customs that we are conditioned to percieve as ordinary. Social norms have their pupose in our society. One can look at social norms as being favorable or unfavorable. I personally think that social norms are often a positive thing as they help keep us in order. For this paper I decided to violate a social norm that is derived from folkways. Folways are common demeanors related to rituals and triditions of a certain society. The norm that I choose to violate for this paper required me to cut into the middle of a line by myelf and stay in line for atleast 2 minutes. I decided to violate this social norm on the campus of Queensborough Commnity Colloge, in the cafeteria located in the science building. I choose this specific...
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...I have undertaken the task of breaking a social norm within the campus grounds. I wanted to see what kind of reactions I could get from a wide variety of people, and since UNL is so diverse with different genders, race, and age, I chose our campus to be my laboratory. I decided that I would try standing in the back of the union by the fountain, and then I would play the guitar and sing out loud as if I were enjoying the nice weather. This would probably seem normal to most people, however, I don’t know how to play the guitar at all and I can’t sing worth anything. I figured the combination of my terrible abilities would make a great formula for gaining attention from other people. I recorded myself doing it so that I could remember what I sang about too. I also thought it would be great to sing about my observations of the people around me. I would sing things such as people looking like animals, or making fun of their clothes, or describing every move they make, or give them a story about their day and how it’s going. One time a tall white guy was walking past me by himself and my first reaction was that he looked like a giraffe, so I went with that. I sang loudly “hey tall guy with the red coat how are you today, when I first saw you, you looked like a giraffe to me, can you tell me giraffe man where I can find some good leaves on a tree, giraffe people are mad all the time that they cant fit through doors, they always hit their head and it gives their head soars, which is why...
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...decisions about abnormality. Dr Padawl decides to start by explaining how abnormality is defined. Describe and evaluate two definitions of abnormality. In your answer you must refer to how Dr Padawl might explain definitions of abnormality to the volunteers. (12) Dr Padawl may start explaining that abnormality is defined as ‘deviation from a norm or a standard’, and that by labeling a person or behaviour as ‘abnormal’ implies something undesirable and requires change. One definition of abnormality that Dr Padawl could use is social norms. He could ask the volunteers to come up with some examples of what they think social norms are. Then provide them with the correct definition that every society sets up rules for behaviours based on moral standards. They can be explicit (i.e. breaking the law), or implicit (unwritten rules i.e. table manners), and breaking these laws would be considered as abnormal as they are seen as rare in the population. After doing so, Dr Padawl could consolidate by asking the volunteers to label their examples whether they are explicit or implicit. Dr Padawl may also wish to evaluate social norms as a definition of abnormality. One weakness is that cross-cultural misunderstandings are common, as a behaviour that is considered as normal in one society may be seen as abnormal in another, due to cultures and time. i.e. homosexuality was considered as a mental illness until 1973, but it is now acceptable amongst the society. Another weakness Dr...
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...Breaking the Norm Social norms are group-held beliefs about how members should behave in a given context. Norms are not classified, but people still do certain things and expects other to follow them, too. I decided to conduct my experiment at Decatur Library. From my previous experiences at the library, I knew that this would be the perfect, quiet atmosphere to violate the social norm of having a cell phone conversation. Before I even walked into the Decatur Library, I called a friend from back home to have a distracting, loud conversation about sports. I figured that the idea of me talking about something unofficial instead of school matters would cause more of a response from bystanders. I got very lucky because although the library is never too busy, there was a good amount of people there this specific day. As I walked in, laughing about my experience in shooting free-throws, heads started turning in my direction. Not giving any effort to lower my voice, I observed one person give me a dirty look and whisper to her friend who she was sitting with. Right away the friend looked at me and just shook her head as if she was disgusted with me. I noticed that they were sitting in far corner so I slowly walked towards the water fountain continuing my conversation. As I got close to their table, I could tell they were getting irritated. However I wanted to see if they would simply ask me to be quite or if they were going to make comments about my phone usage under their breath. ...
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...College is believed to be a time when you meet new people and open up to new experiences. However, many keep to themselves with the fear of rejection and stay quiet. I was the type of person who isolated themselves from all that college had to offer. I took this project as an opportunity to go out of my comfort zone and break the social norm of keeping to one’s self. It was difficult since I see myself as an awkward person, and it takes me a long time to spark up an interesting conversation. I wanted to gain a reaction from the people I engaged in conversation with. I decided I would tell my peers that the Freshman Summer Program was too intense, and that I most likely would not return in the fall. I chose six triple rooms on the fifth...
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...reaction and centuries of habit has deeply ingrained this behavior into society. It has developed a sort of "functional autonomy" meaning that the modern implication of "bless you" is detached from its roots (Psychology Today). Acknowledging a stranger, be it holding the door or elevator, is not only tied to the impression an individual gives, but it has become a norm and an expectation in everyday behavior. Some may even be offended or hurt when others do not conform, leading to a dispute like the one between Robin and Michael in Seinfeld's "Good Samaritan" episode. Analyzing the social context makes it apparent that society uses norms to guide behavior and pressure people to conform while frowning upon those who stray from expectations. In a Seinfeld scene where Robin, Michael, Elaine, and George have dinner at a moderately classy restaurant, Robin sneezes and George hesitates before saying "bless you." George then proceeds to joke that Michael, who is Robin's husband, ought to have the responsibility of saying "bless you" first (Seinfeldology). George points out Michael's lack of adherence to the social norms demanded in such a formal setting. In this case, there is a variety of factors that shape the level of formality. The group is in a relatively upscale environment where appropriate attire applies, wine is served, and diners ask instead of reaching over for the bread basket. This adds to the social pressure that comes with proper dinner table manners and...
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