What This Document Is
This is a student paper completed for an introductory Sociology course (SOC G100) at Golden West College. The assignment involved conducting a small-scale social experiment: intentionally breaking a common social norm and observing the reactions of others. The paper details the planning, execution, and analysis of this experiment.
Why This Document Matters
This assignment is valuable for students enrolled in introductory sociology courses. It demonstrates a practical application of core sociological concepts like social norms, deviance, and personal space. It serves as an example of how to approach a sociological investigation and document findings. It’s intended for instructors assessing student understanding of these concepts.
Common Limitations or Challenges
This document represents a single student’s interpretation and execution of the assignment. It is not a comprehensive research study and should not be used as a substitute for textbook readings or lectures. It focuses on one specific experiment and may not generalize to all social norms or contexts.
What This Document Provides
The full document includes a description of the social norm investigated (personal space), the methodology used to break the norm (sitting with strangers in a food court), detailed observations of reactions, and an analysis of those reactions in relation to sociological concepts. This preview does *not* include the full experimental results, the student’s complete analysis, or any discussion of cultural variations in social norms beyond a brief mention of Singapore.