breaching experiment essay examples

Sociology 101

Breaching ¶.

Social interaction represents one of the central building blocks of society. Despite being unscripted, these interactions have strict unwritten rules. Breaking those rules, or being deviant, is a critical way of discovering what the norms are and what is the range of reactions to norm violations. Before you begin, please review the section on “Values, Norms, and Sanctions” in the Culture chapter and take a look at page 436 in the textbook(“Encounters with Strangers”), particularly the concept of “civil inattention”.

You will conduct an exercise that violates social norms and write a short paper about the experience. This exercise may be performed alone or in a group (of your choice) of four or fewer participants. **The norm violation can not include illegal activities or those that might risk someone’s safety, health, or well-being (i.e., violating masking requirements in a pandemic). In addition, don’t complete breaches where the violation is that you make someone else sad or angry (ex. telling your friend they look ugly, etc.) because that is mean. ** In our current pandemic world, I would strongly encourage you to conduct your breach on social media, such as something that defies our new norms of online courses, such as brushing your teeth during Zoom class. If conducting your experiment as a group, each group member will perform the breach once. When not performing the breach, the other group members should observe the interaction and write an observation log documenting people’s reactions to the breach. After completing your breach, you should write a brief research report that discusses your research and what you found. You may conduct your breach as part of a group, but each person must individually write and submit a research report.

These are guidelines, but feel free to try new things and stretch your creativity for a high pass. In your submission text, please clearly state which set of requirements you are attempting to fulfill.

In order to receive a Pass or High Pass, you must complete all components of that grade category.

Violates more than one well-identified social norm in a clear way or violates the same norm in more than one way.

Chooses breaches that are creative

Includes video or photographic proof that the breach occurred. Ideally, this would be a link to a video of the breach. If you are doing this solo, a photo of the situation pre or post breach is sufficient. Attach this on Sakai or text it to Professor Caren (919-381-7638) along with your name. As part of your assignment, put “I texted the video to Professor Caren from my phone, 919-xxx-xxxx.”

Include summary paragraph as introduction.

Describe your data and methods of analysis, including describes the breaches with details about the settings they took place in (virtual/physical), the norms and your expectations.

Use detailed description to explain people’s reactions to the different breaches

Describes how you felt while doing the breaches and analyzes why that feeling occurred

Explains why your breaches are significant sociologically- what do they show/mean? Make a clear connection to more than one course concept.

Evaluate your methodology.

500 word minimum

Varies the breach or norm in such a way as to test a hypothesis

Describes your hypothesis.

Reflects on how the breach might have been different if a different person had conducted it (maybe someone of a different personality type or identity)

Analyzes the limitations of these types of experiments

Violates a well-identified social norm in a clear way

Describe people’s reactions to your breach

Describes how you felt while doing the breach

250 word minimum

Breaching Social Norms Experiment and Analysis Essay

Analysis and discussion, works cited.

Social norms could be defined as a set of appropriate behaviors accepted by society at a certain period of time. These patterns regulate peoples actions and the way they interact with other members of the community. For this reason, disregard these norms might be confusing for individuals who adhere to them. For the experiment, I decided to affect peoples personal space by engaging in very intimate interactions with them.

On February 27, 2018, at 8.15 p.m., I came to different individuals at the entrance of Al Wanda mall and said “I tried to call you, twice, why didn’t you pick up? I got your number from (random name), and honestly, it hurt my feelings”. The given action is not considered appropriate behavior, and usually, it is accepted only by close people. Respondents belonged to different nationalities and were of different ages which apparently impacts the conclusion about how people react if a social norm is broken.

Discussing the experiment, I should first evaluate my feelings before, while, and after the planned breach. First, I was excited because of the plan. I also adhere to social norms and try not to disturb unknown people. That is why I was nervous and even scared because of hypothetic negative reactions or responses. However, communication with the first individual helped me to calm down.

Hereafter, I felt confident and nonchalant during my conversations with respondents. After the experiment, I admitted mixed emotions. On the one hand, I felt uncomfortable because of the unusual character of actions I performed. On another, I was puzzled by some reactions. Additionally, there was a great relief that the experiment was over and I did not have to break social norms anymore.

I should also outline two individuals responses to this intrusion. In the first case, I came to a tall Indian male in his early thirties. He was well dressed and looked solid. Thus, my appearance and actions obviously confused him. He was not able to understand what happened and stood with his mouth wide open. I noted that he started sweating and avoided looking into my eyes. Instead, he stared into vacancy without saying a word. It was apparent that he wanted me to disappear and stop bothering him. In the second case, I communicated with a short Filipino male of the same age. He wore informal clothes and looked at his phone.

My question apparently surprised him and caused significant discomfort. He was confused and did not know what to do. However, in the middle of my speech, the man apologized calling me Madam, and walked away. He also tried not to look into my eyes as if he were afraid that it would make the situation even worse. In general, both these reactions were alike and could be considered typical ones as the majority of participants responded to my appearance and speech in similar ways.

Peoples reactions to my actions could be explained using several significant concepts. First, all individuals behaviors are preconditioned by their mentalities and cultural background (Higgs 39). These two issues impact decision-making and precondition the appearance of one or another response to a particular stressor. The fact is that in the majority of cultures familiar attitude to strangers is not appreciated (Higgs 39). On the contrary, people try to be polite and tactful not to hurt somebodys feelings and preserve their personal space. In such a way, my words and actions were inappropriate for participants regarding their cultural backgrounds and previous experiences.

Moreover, existing social practices introduce cautious and even suspicious attitudes to unknown individuals who demonstrate inappropriate behaviors and break accepted norms. Social practices are predicted behaviors that representatives of a particular culture typically try to follow. As we have already stated, there is a specific treatment for strangers in the majority of cultures. For this reason, I faced the behaviors described above. People followed partners they acquired in their childhood (Reynolds et al. 50). These presuppose avoidance, disregard, attempts to suppress awkward behaviors not responding to them.

Negative or confused responses might also be preconditioned by the existence of particular expectations that are traditionally used when judging people’s actions. In other words, a common person will not come to a stranger and start talking to him/her in a familiar way (Steckl). This person also excepts that no one else will do it because of a particular social norm that exists in society. In this regard, the majority of participants were confused because of the discrepancy between their expectations and reality.

Therefore, there are specific interpersonal communication patterns that are established in different cultures and determine the choice of words, verbal and non-verbal communication patterns to align an efficient face-to-face communication not hurting someones feelings (Baum 54). These depend on culture, age, mentality, experience, etc. (Baum 54). However, the majority of people asked by me had a similar cultural background which condemns breach of social norms and interference into the private space. For this reason, their reactions were quite predictable. They did not try to keep the conversation, on the contrary, people wanted to escape and forget about this very situation.

I should also say that there were some differences in verbal and non-verbal responses. Some individuals kept silent and stood still pretending that they do not hear me whereas others excused and tried to leave. These divergences are stipulated by the diverse experiences and beliefs of individuals who participated in the experiment. The fact is that the set of values an individual has shaped the way he/she behaves and communicates in multiple situations (Henrich 78). These factors also precondition the manner a person acts in stressful occurrences that imply the breach of social norms. That is why some individuals preferred to ignore me while others just left.

Finally, I admitted that some people (especially Filipinos) evaluated my status and actions regarding my nationality. This fact also stipulated their behaviors. In such cases, they called me Madam and demonstrated high respect. At the same time, they tried to leave quietly as if their emotional response would be considered misconduct and result in some negative circumstances. Additionally, individuals treated me as if I were of a higher authority and had some power to impact their lives.

This example perfectly demonstrates the significant impact culture and mentality have on our actions and behaviors (Mlodinow 23). Having a stereotypical image of an Emirati and associating this individual with high authority, power, and wealth, people tried to behave in a way that would not make me angry and leave.

In general, the experiment shows that the breach of social norms is confusing for people who have specific behavioral patterns and use them to interact with other members of society. Additionally, the cultural background preconditions individuals actions and the way they respond. My attempts to extravagate and trigger specific reactions prove it.

Baum, William. Understanding Behaviorism: Behavior, Culture, and Evolution . Wiley-Blackwell, 2017.

Henrich, Joseph. The Secret of Our Success: How Culture Is Driving Human Evolution, Domesticating Our Species, and Making Us Smarter . Princeton University Press, 2017.

Higgs, Suzanne. “ Social norms and their influence on eating behaviours. ” Appetite , vol. 86, 2015, pp. 38-44. Web.

Mlodinow, Leonard. Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior . Vintage, 2013.

Reynolds, Katherine, Emina Subasic, and Karen Tindall. “ The Problem of Behaviour Change: From Social Norms to an Ingroup Focus. ” Social and Personality Psychology Compass , vol. 9, no. 1, 2015, pp. 45-56. Web.

Steckl, Carrie. “How Social Norms Affect Our Decisions.” MentalHelp.net . 2013. Web.

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Ideas for Breaching Experiments

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A breaching experiment goes outside our ideas of social norms specifically to see how people will react to the violation of the arbitrary rules of a given situation. These experimental forays arise from the idea that people create social norms themselves without any awareness that they do so and that most individuals need to be shocked out of their ideas of normality to have any meaningful interactions.

Breaching with Figuratives

An example of "breaching" experimentally is to talk with an acquaintance and interpret his figurative usages literally, to explore the idea that we overuse figurative language to the point where interpretation becomes absurd. Your friend begins with "What's up?" and you reply "The sky." He may end the experimental conversation by saying "You trippin'!" Point out that you're standing and well-balanced, in no danger of tripping. Your friend's attempts to "normalize" the conversation throw light on how he responds to other situations that may puzzle his sense of social normality.

The Talk-Line Experiment

When we converse, we also create imaginary barriers, our force fields of comfort we call "personal space." An interesting breach of this is the talk-line. Enlist a compatriot to converse with in a hallway. As the two of you talk, move further away from each other so that you're at least 4 feet apart but keep your eye contact and conversation going. Notice how many people actually "duck" as they go between you as if your conversation has created an actual barrier. Again, they attempt to normalize the situation and re-establish boundaries that social convention has dictated.

Restaurants and Carlinisms

Sometimes social norms breach themselves. Eating with hands in a fancy restaurant used to be forbidden, but it's become more trendy with the introduction of different cultural norms. You still can breach restaurant etiquette experimentally. George Carlin, in "Brain Droppings," recommends asking a waiter if the garnish is free, then ordering a large plate of garnish. If you were to try this experiment, the waiter's response, and perhaps your own discomfort in placing the order, would reveal the predispositions you both have, that you must "set" normality in trivial situations, following norms simply because you believe they exist.

Garfinkle's Classics

Harold Garfinkle, the ethnomethodologist who pioneered breach experimentation, established experiments that invaded both home and business norms. He sent students back to their parental homes to act as renters and into businesses to mistake customers for salesmen. These actions, Garfinkle felt, brought to light automatic responses and the reinforcement of agreed social boundaries.

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• Wired Cosmos: Sociology in Action: The Breaching Experiment
• ERIC: Making Sociology Relevant: The Assignment and Application of Breaching Experiments

Michael Stratford is a National Board-certified and Single Subject Credentialed teacher with a Master of Science in educational rehabilitation (University of Montana, 1995). He has taught English at the 6-12 level for more than 20 years. He has written extensively in literary criticism, student writing syllabi and numerous classroom educational paradigms.

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(Updated May 5, 2004 )

1) No late papers allowed.

2) Include your name, your email address, the names of other students you worked with, and your TA's name

Here are the questions your papers should answer.   You may weave the answers into an essay (this is the best option), or you may answer them in series.

* Please also include summary statistics on your experiment.   How many times did you do the experiment, in which places, with what kinds of subjects and what results.

* What was the norm you were trying to test or breach?

* What was your method for breaching the norm, i.e. how was your experiment designed?

* What did you expect to find?

* What did you actually find.   This is where you need to draw on your Thick Descriptions of interactions, your feelings, the setting, and so on.   Report on your own experiences, report on how you perceived your partners.

* What do your experimental results tell you about the nature of social rule you are trying to study?

* If you adapted and changed your experiment in any way, describe the changes and the reasons.   In other words, don't assume that your initial plan was 'bad', but rather report on the evolution of your plan as an adaptation or learning experience.

* Did you find anything surprising or funny?

* How did peoples' reactions to the breach differ?   Be as systematic as you can about this.   Are there differences by race or gender or class or age?   How about social setting or time of day?   If you don't have variability across these dimensions (and you couldn't possibly get sufficient variability across more than a few), think about how your limited research framework may affect your results.

* Did different members of the group get different results?

* In what ways did your experiment NOT work, and why?

* How would you have done the experiment differently?

* Based on your own experience, what do you think can be learned by breaching experiments?

* What does your experiment tell you about the nature of the norms you are studying (or other norms that you didn't plan to study but found yourself confronted with) .   This is the analytical part of the paper.   Don't let Babbie's textbook make you believe that you can't draw conclusions from ethnographic work: you can and you should.

Projects will be evaluated based on the creativity and persistence of the experimenters, the ability to incorporate some theoretical ideas from Goffman, and the strength of the analysis.   Written reports should be 8-12 pages in length.   Each member of the group must write a separate paper.

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Good Breaching Experiment Essay Example

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Sociology , Pressure , Stress , Society , Development , Community , Theory , Behavior

Words: 1250

Published: 03/27/2020

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Norms are a collection of beliefs on how a certain group of people should behave. They are elements that are considered as informal understanding that governs individuals and the behavior of the society. Ideally, social norms are behaviors and prompts that exist in a society. Amplified efforts to establish social norms within a human being are regarded as the most effective activities of the society. This is because they approve and disapprove the different ways through which people carry do things, talk, and dress (Cherry, 2013). However, these norms are different due to the different societies that exist in the universe. For instance, what is deemed right to speak, do or even dress is different from one social group to the other? Ideally, the difference in social norms determines the popularity and acceptance of a person in a particular group. It is definite that every single value that is identified in a person has to be initiated in the person and then maintained. This ensures that the social norms that are incorporated in a society gain a background. This paper intends to elaborate, precisely how social norms are constructed and maintained. Social norms perform a critical, yet hilarious, function of coordinating people’s expectations that are deemed to own multiple equilibria. Given that social norms have a wide range of observable facts, they are given optimum seriousness when they are being constructed. This is done to ensure that there is uniformity in behavior within a socially related group (Cherry, 2013) up. However, social norms are dynamic. That is, they suffer from norm-shifts. These shifts prompt the social norms to change in terms of expectations and perception. These changes are well elaborated when compared to the description of the game evolutionary game theory. In brief terms, this theory states that there are some norms that are possessed a stable nature than others in the long-run. Norms evolve together with time. As time elapses, some of the norms that are already initiated may be terminated or evolved to different ones. One of the best references, when it comes to development of oneself, is the Erikson’s Stages of Psychology Development. He describes the different expectations and behavior that one should adopt as he or she grows up. For instance, there are the observable norms that are termed as legitimate in the intimacy stage of relationships. This means that each step is built on the lessons and skills that were developed in the last step. This gradual development of social norms, among other norms, qualifies a strong sense of personal identity in human beings. Before construction or maintenance of any social norms, there are some important issues that need to be addressed. First, self-actualization should be tested. That is; the norms to be designed should be effective in the personal growth and fulfillment of a majority of the members of a specific society. Secondly, they should accommodate the self esteem requirement such as; achievement, personal status, reputation, and responsibility (Cherry, 2013). Third, they should be considerate on the biological and psychological needs. Because of these requirements, the extent to which the people who are responsible for introducing social norms becomes limited. In addition to that, it appears that it is easier to construct them than maintain them. One of the challenging issues is related on the theory that is applied before a society arrives on a certain norm. The challenge emerges because there are different social equilibria that are available yet the society is supposed to arrive at one only. Ideally, there are a number of ways that these norms are established. Some norms are unintentionally created, while others are constructed intentionally. These elements that lead to the construction of social norms are numerous. First, the vertical or bottom-up pressure in which local customs and practices come together and form social norms. Second, there is lateral persuasion where already established social norms are transformed into different kinds of socialization. Third, the top-down pressure which incorporates official proclamations as well as imitation of possible role models. It is important to expound on the possible ways by which the social norms are constructed. First, the official pronunciation of the social norms is very much present in the current era. This occurs when the parents or elders and leaders in a social world propose the importance of some social norms to be put into practice. However, the pressure that is experienced in this case is dictatorship. The possibility of maintaining this category of social norms is unpredictable (Cardenas, 2011). In this case, It is the role of the elders to impose these norms after close observations of the good impact they can impose on the societies well being. For instance, an outstanding member of the society may come up with something or an activity that elaborates the essence of possible social control within the society. This becomes the reference point for construction of a social norm. Relatively, social norms which are deemed to be unintentional may be embraced without consent of the society. For instance, when siblings to an elder child adopt from the good behavior portrayed by the elder ones, this means that this social norm might be passed unintentionally. For instance, obedience and response to the leaders by members of the society may encourage the development of a norm. It is very important to note that social norms that are constructed unintentionally are not likely to weaken easily. This is because they do not exist, as a result of unreasonable pressure from unreasonable pressure. Complex situations occur when these norms are being maintained. When they are too hard for the society, social defiance is expected. Here, a breaching experiment is appropriate. The first step that is involved in appropriate maintenance of social norms is making efforts to ensure that people are in substantial consent of social norms (Cardenas, 2011). The members of any social group should be in a position to know the full idea of embracing a certain social norm. To ensure that the victims of these social norms are answerable to any defiance, then it is important to ensure that they are trained to adapt to them gradually. Conclusively, the theory related to Erikson’s stages of psychological development proposes that for any social norm to be deemed effective, it has to be continuously developed from one stage of life to the other. That is, it should start from early childhood through the youthful age to the adulthood. Maintenance of a norm that has a long history is easy. This is because it becomes hard for a person to defy a long-run rule that is already implanted in his or her mind. According to a detailed study by different scholars, it is difficult to maintain a norm in the long-run.

Works Cited

Ball, Kylie, Robert W. Jeffery, Gavin Abbott, Sarah A. McNaughton, and David Crawford. "Is healthy behavior contagious: associations of social norms with physical activity and healthy eating." International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (2010): n. pag. Print. Cardenas, Juan C., Olof Johansson-Stenman, and Henk Folmer. "Social Norms and Behavior in the Local Commons as Seen Through the Lens of Field Experiments." Environmental & Resource Economics (2011): n. pag. Cherry, Kendra. "Erikson's Psychosocial Stages - Young Adulthood, Middle Age, and Old Age." About.com Psychology. N.p., 13 Oct. 2013. Web. 21 Feb. 2014. Rapid Wall-Breaching Kit, Ingress Hole Determination Experiment. N.p., 2003.

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Introduction

In the article entitled “Sociology in Action: The Breaching Experiment,” author Jason Carr writes “breaching experiments are planned and deliberate breaks of a commonly accepted social norm.” Such experiments are not intended to cause harm, but are conducted simply to highlight the ways that individuals react to violations of social norms, and the behavioral “repair work” they do in order to make sense of the unusual situation. The following breaching experiment provided some insight into these norms and behaviors.

Breaching Experiment

This breaching experiment involved the behavior of people in grocery stores.  I utilized several different specific behaviors that went against social norms in grocery stores. I also used a partner to help me gauge the reactions of people. In the first stage of the experiment I walked around the store, and when I saw a shopper I slowly got closer, like I was looking at products on the shelves near where they were shopping. The goal was to get as close as possible to the person and to his or her cart so I could be ready. As the person selected an item (or several items) from the shelf, I continued to look at the shelves as if I was shopping and not paying attention to the other person. Once they finished selecting an item or items, I casually took one of the same items and placed it in the person’s cart. I did my best to mimic the behavior of a typical shopper, as if I was just shopping and using my own cart, except it was the other person’s cart and not my own.

After I had placed the item in the cart I would choose from a number of behaviors. In one instance I walked away and left that particular aisle. I did my best to pretend that the other person was invisible, by not making eye contact or doing anything else that indicated I had noticed that anyone else was there. In another case I turned from one side of the aisle to the other and began to look at items on the opposite shelf. Again, I pretended not to notice that anyone else was there, and made it appear as if I was just casually shopping, but was using someone else’s shopping cart instead of having one of my own.  In the third behavior option I just kept looking at the closest shelf near the same item I had just selected from the shelf and placed in the person’s cart. In each case my friend/research assistant was close by, but far enough away that it did not seem as if we were there together.

In the first experiment example I placed a bottle of ketchup in a man’s shopping cart and walked away. He was approximately 45-50 years old, and was shopping alone. He called to me before I got around the corner (I was only a few feet from the end of the aisle, on the right side). He said “excuse me, is this yours?” I replied “no, it’s yours” and kept walking until I was out of sight. According to my partner, the man stood there for a moment, looking at the bottle, the cart, and the shelf with a puzzled look on his face. I expected that he might follow me to ask why I had responded the way I did, but he ended up putting the bottle back on the shelf after just a few seconds. That was his only response.

In the next example I did the same thing, but this time with a woman of about the same age. She elected several containers of coffee, the kind that come in a large blue plastic tub. I had gotten close to her so quickly that I noticed she seemed a bit startled, though that was not my intent. I stared straight at the shelf to try to play off the fact that I had approached her so quickly, and pretended not to notice her. As soon as she moved away I grabbed another container of the same coffee and put it in her cart. I was not very graceful about it, and it made a pretty loud noise as it hit the other containers. This time the woman was definitely startled, and I turned away as quickly as possible to keep from laughing nervously, or to say anything like “I’m sorry.” My partner had moved closer by this time, and we were now on either side of the subject, both about the same distance away. I stayed turned away, but my partner watched the subject’s reaction. She apparently glared at me angrily, and she took the coffee container out of her cart and placed it back on the shelf, looking back at me several times. As soon as she was done she wheeled her cart away down the long stretch of the aisle, as I was between her and the closer end. She looked back at me one more time and then rounded the corner. She never said a word to me.

In the final example I was standing near a young female approximately my own age, and she was looking through a section of vitamins and supplements. She asked me what I thought of the choices she had (which I was not expecting). I just looked at her and shrugged, but did not say anything. Almost immediately she made a selection and started to move away from me, as if I had upset her by not responding. It was difficult to time it right, but I managed to grab one of the same bottles and place it in her basket (she did not have a cart). She stopped, looked at me, and asked “why did you do that?” It was not easy, but I kept a straight face and shrugged at her again. She said “please don’t do that” in a very stern voice, and replaced the bottle of vitamins on the shelf. She then turned and walked away quickly, without looking at me again or saying anything else.

Breaching Experiment Analysis

In any social setting there are expected norms of behavior. While it may be common for people to make small talk in a grocery store, especially if they are near each other, it is not as common to strike up a lengthy conversation. It is clearly not an expected social norm that one individual would place an item in another person’s shopping cart. There was no communication between myself and any of the subjects that would indicate that the subject would be expected or required to keep the item (or, of course, pay for it). There was nothing stopping each subject from simply returning the item to the cart. In such a setting, however, we do not expect strangers to act as if they are friends or family members. It would not be unusual for people shopping together (whether they are couples, or friends, or family members) to place items in the same cart, but when a stranger does the exact same thing (with no threatening behavior other than the unexpected action) it clearly violates typical social norms of behavior.

In each instance the subjects responded differently, and their response seemed to be based on my behavior after I performed the reaching behavior. In the first instance I placed a bottle of ketchup into someone else’s cart and then walked away without any further contact. That subject responded primarily by looking confused, but he did not appear to feel challenged or threatened. Almost as soon as I was out of sight he simply placed the bottle back on the shelf and returned to shopping, seeming to forget about the incident immediately. In the second instance the response from the subject was noticeably different. Even though I turned away from her as soon as I had placed the coffee in her cart, she reacted angrily, and appeared to feel threatened or challenged by my behavior. Despite this reaction, however, she did not say anything. I was only aware of her reaction because my assistant had described it to me, but as it was happening I felt as if I could tell she was looking at me. The only subject who spoke to me was the third one, and I presumed that it was because I stayed so close to her (within just a few feet at the most) after the breaching behavior. She responded with obvious annoyance, and told me not to repeat the behavior before walking away.

These brief exchanges led me to reach several conclusions, and gave me some insight into such social interactions. I was not surprised by the reactions of the subjects, or by the fact that each of them responded differently depending on how closely I stayed to them after the breaching behavior. What did surprise me was my own discomfort at performing these behaviors. I knew what I was doing was a form of an experiment (and that no one would be hurt), but I still did not like breaching these social norms. In each case I felt the need to explain or apologize for my own behavior, but I did not, as I did not want to influence any subsequent responses (I wondered in each case if any of the subjects would approach me again after walking away, but none of them did).  This experiment definitely made the point to me about how strongly we adhere to social norms and how uncomfortable we are when they are broken,. It also showed me how uncomfortable we are when we break them ourselves, which was a conclusion I did not anticipate.

Carr, Jason. ‘Sociology In Action – The Breaching Experiment’.  WiredCosmos . N.p., 2012. Web. 21 Jan. 2015.

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The Breaching Experiment

Breaching experiment in sociology and social psychology involves an experiment that tries to observe the reactions of people whenever a violation of a commonly accepted social norm occurs. Such experiments involve the exhibition of conscious gender and social structure analysis that makes social reactions possible (Hilbert, n.p). The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy defines social norms as the customary codes that govern behavior in a group or among societies.

In context of the explanation above, what follows is an illustration of a breach experiment; an explanation of an observation that examines people’s responses to an instance of breach of normally allowed and conventional customs .

The example is further supported by other everyday breach experiment violations to expand on its understanding in a detailed illustration.

Example: Observing Silence in the Library

In normal circumstances at any given public or institutional library, observing silence is an expectation for all users, and thus, any other engagement like talking loudly or shouting is prohibited and constitutes breaking of a social norm.

When a student or any other user enters a library, there is a clear notice with the writing on the wall, such as Observe silence and switch off your mobile phone or put it on silent mode to avoid interruptions .

From such a notice, it is clearly implied that talking loudly or receiving a phone call in the library is not allowed. When a student enters the library and after a while begins playing loud music on his/her phone, and also lets the phone to ring loudly and proceeds to answer the call without going outside the library, what would be the reaction from other students or users?

The likely reaction is that the other users would regard this behavior to be weird, uncomfortable; other students or users will stare at the interrupter and ask questions as to whether the student is normal, while some will opt to remain silent amid the disturbances.

Consequently, from the example above, a breaching experiment requires an individual at the centre of focus to break the social norm, such as talking loudly, shouting, or playing loud music in a place where silence is required, such as a library or hospital. In addition, talking to a stranger, eating while sleeping on the floor, or talking alone will likely feature a breach of the social norm, because a stranger who notices this may think the person is mentally ill.

Breaking the social norm is likely to upset people, as most will feel uncomfortable associating with the offender or norm breaker; some would stare, ask themselves questions, and the weird action could cause social anxiety. For instance, jumping the queue when other people are waiting to be served may sound strange and lead to irritation and uproar from those waiting, as intrusion on the waiting line is not accepted and antisocial.

Sociologists note that even though an individual’s breaking of social norms may attract no legal repercussions, it can have a negative impact on one’s social life with others. This is since most people may take the individual who breaks such norms to be weird or different while others may not like to be around such an individual; it would cause confusion, anger, criticism, or hostility (Heritage, 233).

Suffice is to say that breaching experiments are associated with ethnomethodology and the efforts of Harold Garfinkel, who pioneered breach experimentation. Breaching experiments are experiments that try to observe people responses when a breach of normally allowed social norms occurs, as illustrated in the example discussed above.

Works Cited

Heritage, John. Ethnomethodology. In Social Theory Today, Giddens, Anthony and Turner, Jonathan (Eds) Cambridge 1987: Polity Press. http://thesocialexperimentsbu.blogspot.com/2012/11/harold-garfinkel-ethnomethodology-and.html

Hilbert, Richard. ‘‘ The classical roots of ethnomethodology: Durkheim, Weber and Garfinkel. Chapel Hill’’: University of North Carolina Press, 2001.

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Sociology Breaching Experiment Essay

The sample paper on Sociology Breaching Experiment Essay familiarizes the reader with the topic-related facts, theories, and approaches. Scroll down to read the entire paper.

As an area of sociological study the everyday only emerged relatively recently. It might seem too mundane, too ordinary a field to study, but as Lefebvre commented, the everyday life is the base of everything (Lefebvre Book 1, page 317). The home is often viewed as a central location for the everyday to take place but increasingly other locations such as the “street” and the “pub” are viewed as areas of sociological interest.

As with many concepts, the home, street, pub and the everyday life are especially with regards to repetition routine and habits – contested.

The daily routines of the everyday may hinder us to be critical thinkers or they could be essential for us to feel secure in this fast changing world. The everyday world around us is perceived as natural and normal. A great number of aspects go unquestioned, many things are taken for granted.

Sociologicalers one way to explore these aspects. The task sociologists face is the defamilarization of the everyday, keeping a professional distance from the world around them.

Most techniques used in early sociological study of macrosociological processes ignored fundamental questions such as the taken- for- grantedness of everyday situations and many areas went unexplored and unquestioned. When attempting to tackle such investigations, the researchers faced the problem that they were studying their own society and therefore shared the same basic attitudes and behaviours of the people they were studying.

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The fact that the researcher may not come from the same class may aid defamilarization, but by no means could effectively fully support researchers in their investigations.

Taken For Granted Define

Especially those involved in mass observation as described by Watson (2002) A researcher from another culture would possibly see the researched society in different way but difficulties could arise for example through language and communication. American sociologist Harold Garfinkle (1967) (Chapter 3 page 99) came up with what he saw as a solution to this problem by introducing experiments to reveal the taken for granted ways of living. Garfinkles’ experiments were designed to change the notions of these taken for granted ways. Hamilton, 2002) Although mostly done in the mind, some of these experiments were actually carried out. An example of Garfinkles ” breaching experiments” is to choose a street where there are many people.

Take off a shoe and hold it visibly in your hand and then prominently walk down the street noting the other people’s adverse reaction, which could be anything from ridicule to hostility. This experiment reveals the taken for granted and socially acceptable behaviour of the street and the connected codes of conduct and behaviour. Garfinkel, 1967). (Chapter 2 page 99) Garfinkel believed that through the reactions of the people around the researchers it is possible firstly to see and secondly to understand the taken- for- grantedness of everyday life. With breaching experiments, Garfinkel introduced a tool to reveal the routines and habits at the microsociological level and many unwritten rules of society become apparent. However, his technique, also known as ethnomethodology, is largely dependent on the researchers.

Only the areas they consider as worthy of investigation and potentially revealing such as taken for granted routines or habits will be explored, which makes them prone to overlook many areas in society. Only areas covered by the experiments such as the imaginary walking down the street with the shoes in your hand are revealed by the experiment. Another breaching example Garfinkel used was where students were asked to behave like boarders in their own family homes not only shows how taken for granted appropriate behaviour is, but also how these unwritten rules are nconsciously connected to certain roles. This process of taking up and playing roles is described by Goffman (Hamilton, 2002). Ethnomethodology is a sociological tool that allows the researcher to reveal the taken- for- grantedness in everyday life. It is value free and concerned with the details of human interaction. However, the researchers still have to interpret what they see, and they do this with their own ideas, their own preconceptions, no matter how hard they try to defamilarize with the world around them.

The pub is another area of sociological interest it is a site that is set in a social and historical context traditionally dominated by men. In the late1930’s to the 1950’s Charles Madge and Tom Harris carried out a mass observation study to observe and record the beliefs and thoughts of ordinary working class people. The negative side of this research was that it focused only on men and did not take into account women’s opinions. (Chapter 2, page 194) On the other hand Ann Whitehead (1976) analyses patterns of gender in her ethnographic study of everyday life in a Hertfordshire village.

Whiteheads used both participation and observation in her study and showed that all areas of social life are entwined with what transpires in the pub and the pub plays a key role in reinforcing men’s position of domination and power in relation to women. (Whitehead 1970) and in the process stereotyping patriarchal power relations. The ideas linked with the pub have changed over time. In pre- industrial times the pub was a community-based centre of life that catered mainly male visitors who went there not only to drink and eat but also to find lodgings or work. (Chapter 2, page 190)

Industrialization brought about changes and specialization on all levels. The pubs role was not only a place of male retreat but also a site of consumption and social activity. Inside the pub this specialization is visible in the separation of rooms now allocated a special purpose such as games room, snug, restaurant and public bar. Also, and maybe more profoundly, the entrenchment of gendered roles began to change with the introduction of family pubs and restaurants, eroding the parochial aspect of the pub. The view of the pub, however, is not uncontested but what remains is a sense of belonging, a home from home, and a community.

Never -the- less the Pub has historically been linked with routine, repetition and habit. Lefebvre focuses on the negative aspects of these routines he argues that everyday life as such is dull, repetitive and unexciting, (Book 1, page. 24). There are, however, more positive aspects to the habitual and repetitive life. Felski argues that the routines of the everyday are vital structures in an otherwise chaotic life. Furthermore, the routines of everyday life the very base of our identities, it is the things we do day after day which shape how people see themselves. (Felski Book 1, page 352)

This is a valid opinion since there appears to be more positive aspects to the repetitive everyday life, as Silverstone shows. It is particularly the routines and habits of the everyday that help us to make the harsh world manageable. Through these repetitive actions the world becomes more familiar and predictable, which greatly increases our sense of ontological security (Silverstone Book 1, page 355). The pub becomes a haven where people can retreat. This need for a place of retreat becomes a site of everyday practices and symbols through which people attempt to manage themselves as well as the surrounding world.

The street and the pub can be viewed as social constructs invested with a range of meanings that may differ according to the culture, place and time in which they are made, they are open to debate and in the case of the street as much a state of mind as a physical locale. The imagery of the street has a long history can be explored in it’s representations in literature art and film this helps the distinction between physical location and state of mind. (Chapter 1 page 98). Everyday is personal to the individual and their community and is therefore different in differing circumstances and cultures.

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What Makes Tiny Tardigrades Nearly Radiation Proof

New research finds that the microscopic “water bears" are remarkably good at repairing their DNA after a huge blast of radiation.

By Carl Zimmer

To introduce her children to the hidden marvels of the animal kingdom a few years ago, Anne De Cian stepped into her garden in Paris. Dr. De Cian, a molecular biologist, gathered bits of moss, then came back inside to soak them in water and place them under a microscope. Her children gazed into the eyepiece at strange, eight-legged creatures clambering over the moss.

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Scientists have been trying to breach the defenses of tardigrades for centuries. In 1776, Lazzaro Spallanzani, an Italian naturalist, described how the animals could dry out completely and then be resurrected with a splash of water. In the subsequent decades, scientists found that tardigrades could withstand crushing pressure, deep freezes and even a trip to outer space.

In 1963, a team of French researchers found that tardigrades could withstand massive blasts of X-rays. In more recent studies, researchers have found that some species of tardigrades can withstand a dose of radiation 1,400 times higher than what’s required to kill a person.

Radiation is deadly because it breaks apart DNA strands. A high-energy ray that hits a DNA molecule can cause direct damage; it can also wreak havoc by colliding with another molecule inside a cell. That altered molecule may then attack the DNA.

Scientists suspected that tardigrades could prevent or undo this damage. In 2016, researchers at the University of Tokyo discovered a protein called Dsup , which appeared to shield tardigrade genes from energy rays and errant molecules. The researchers tested their hypothesis by putting Dsup into human cells and pelting them with X-rays. The Dsup cells were less damaged than cells without the tardigrade protein.

That research prompted Dr. De Cian’s interest in tardigrades. She and her colleagues studied the animals she had gathered in her Paris garden, along with a species found in England and a third from Antarctica. As they reported in January, gamma rays shattered the DNA of the tardigrades, yet failed to kill them.

Courtney Clark-Hachtel, a biologist at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and her colleagues independently found that the tardigrades ended up with broken genes . Their study was published on Friday in the journal Current Biology.

These findings suggest that Dsup on its own does not prevent DNA damage, though it’s possible the proteins provide partial protection. It’s hard to know for sure because scientists are still figuring out how to run experiments with tardigrades. They cannot engineer the animals without the Dsup gene, for example, to see how they would handle radiation.

“We’d love to do this experiment,” Jean-Paul Concordet, Dr. De Cian’s collaborator at the museum, said. “But what we can do with tardigrades is still quite rudimentary.”

Both new studies revealed another trick of the tardigrades: They quickly fix their broken DNA.

After tardigrades are exposed to radiation, their cells use hundreds of genes to make a new batch of proteins. Many of these genes are familiar to biologists, because other species — ourselves included — use them to repair damaged DNA.

Our own cells are continually repairing genes . The strands of DNA in a typical human cell break about 40 times a day — and each time, our cells have to fix them.

The tardigrades make these standard repair proteins in astonishing large amounts. “I thought, ‘This is ridiculous’,” Dr. Clark-Hachtel recalled when she first measured their levels.

Dr. De Cian and her colleagues also discovered that radiation causes tardigrades to make a number of proteins not seen in other animals. For now, their functions remain mostly a mystery.

The scientists picked out a particularly abundant protein to study, called TRD1. When inserted in human cells, it seemed to help the cells withstand damage to their DNA. Dr. Concordet speculated that TRD1 may grab onto chromosomes and hold them in their correct shape, even as their strands start to fray.

Studying proteins like TRD1 won’t just reveal the powers of tardigrades, Dr. Concordet said, but could also lead to new ideas about how to treat medical disorders. DNA damage plays a part in many kinds of cancer, for example. “Any tricks they use we might benefit from,” Dr. Concordet said.

Dr. Concordet still finds it bizarre that tardigrades are so good at surviving radiation. After all, they don’t have to survive in nuclear power plants or uranium-lined caves.

“This is one of the big enigmas: Why are these organisms resistant to radiation in the first place?” he said.

Dr. Concordet said that this tardigrade superpower could just be an extraordinary coincidence. Dehydration can also break DNA, so tardigrades may use their shields and repair proteins to withstand drying out.

While a Paris garden may look to us like an easy place to live, Dr. Concordet said that it might pose a lot of challenges to a tardigrade. Even the disappearance of the dew each morning might be a catastrophe.

“We don’t know what life is like down there in the moss,” he said.

Carl Zimmer covers news about science for The Times and writes the Origins column . More about Carl Zimmer

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