Essay On Violating A Social Norm

627 Words2 Pages

The norm that I violated during this exercise was facing the elevator backwards every time I got onto an elevator. This experiment involved me violating a social norm and observing my peers reaction towards me doing something that is not normal and as most would weird. I surveyed three different groups of individuals to receive the best results for this observation. I rode on the elevator, but instead of facing the front looking “normal” which is facing the door. As know as the unstated social norm, I stood facing the opposite direction of the exit/entrance. I received many reactions like laughing, being asked if I were okay, even had someone ask if I were blind or needed help. The experiment proved my hypothesis to be wrong. Which was even if I stood in the opposite direction on a elevator I would not get any reactions, but in reality I received many reactions from my peers. As the groups became larger the reactions …show more content…

During this experiment I choose to use the elevator with doors in the front and back. The elevator back doors are for storage and janitors. Which really left my peers with so many assumptions and questions on why I am facing the opposite way. I stood at the front desk with a friend of mine to arrange the perfect opportunities to get reactions. Whenever I spotted 5 or more individuals enter the two sided elevator I got on with them. Whenever we entered, I kept walking straight towards the back door as if I was going threw. The further I walked the more their heads would turn to see where I was going. People then noticed the breaking of the social norms. The groups that were involved equally reacted different towards the experiment. Of course, I got use to the stares and disturbing looks. They all stayed away from me looking very uncomfortable. There was a couple of people that asked me if I was okay or need help. Which shocked me the most because I really did not expect any one to

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