The Strange World of the Familiar: Sociological Inquiry

The Strange World of the Familiar: Sociological Inquiry

Assignment #2 (Worth 20%)

ANALYZING SOCIAL SETTINGS

For this assignment: 1) carefully observe what’s going on in a few examples of a specific kind of social setting; 2) combine your observations into a description of what typically occurs in terms of social roles or interaction patterns; and 3) sociologically analyze what you found.

Examples of Social Settings

• courtrooms • rock concerts • movie theatres             • church/mosque/etc. services
• ski resorts • grocery stores • children playgrounds   • strip clubs
• franchise coffee shops • funeral homes • nursing homes • peewee hockey games
• family restaurants • dollar stores • bookstores                   • hotel lobbies
• subway cars • bingo halls • fitness centres              • pubs or clubs or taverns

The Field Work

Select a specific kind of social setting to study. Visit about three examples of that social setting as a works cited pageobserver.

The field work involves carefully observing a) the recurring features of the setting, and b) the kinds of social behaviours and interactions that typically occur in the setting. Regarding the latter, first identify the main social positions within the setting. Then focus on the characteristic role expectations and status rights that are associated with one (or two) of the social positions; or on a set of the interaction patterns (i.e., interaction rituals) that regularly occur among participants in the social setting.   You’re looking for what is common, typical or recurring in the various examples, including what, at first, might first seem to be insignificant, but nevertheless recurring details.

Organizing and Describing Your Observations

The task here is to combine your observations of the different examples into a single general description of what you typically found regarding the social setting, the performances of those occupying the social position you focused on, or the interaction patterns you noted.  That is, synthesize your observations into a typical profile of the setting, a typical role performance, or the typical interaction patterns within the setting.

There may be several social positions in the setting you selected. But if you’re going to observe what occurs in the settings in terms of role performance, focus on the role associated with one social position (two at most). Social roles are complex. They involve mastery of certain behaviours, mannerisms and props. They also involve performing with appropriate feelings, attitudes and beliefs.  And since all social positions have a certain status, role performances also involve the status rights, privileges and prestige associated with the social position.

If you’re going to observe what occurs in the settings in terms of significant interaction patterns, focus on a set of  the recurring patterns of conduct among participants that you found noteworthy as well as the norms, beliefs and values that are expressed through those patterns.

The Sociological Analysis

The aim of sociological analysis is to understand what’s going on in the setting by inquiring into the different levels of significance to the social behaviours.  For instance, role performances and interactional rituals fulfill both obvious practical goals as well as less apparent social purposes and functions.  A key to getting at these different levels is to simply ask probing  questions about what is being done, as well as  how it is regularly organized and/or  the way it is routinely carried out.[unique_solution]

Most things are regularly done don’t really have to be done, and almost everything that is done could actually be done otherwise. So why are people regularly do this in these settings (that are organized in that manner) in the way they do?  What does it tell us about what’s going on here and why?

Working By Yourself or With Another

This project can be done by one, two or three students. In the case of two or three, the project will be expected to be of greater breadth, and each member will share the same grade.

If people work together, it is recommended that members discuss:

• what kind of grade each member is expecting
• the energy and commitment each is willing to put into the project
• how the project will be carried out (i.e., how the field work and writing will be divided up: who will review the final paper to ensure coherence; the specific contribution each member is expected to make by the other members; how members’ skills and strengths can complement one another).

Group Papers Require a Sign-Off Page

All members of a group must be involved in doing the field work and writing the paper.  Group papers will require a sign off page at the end of the paper in which each student will briefly state their contribution to researching and writing up the project, and sign off.   Papers involving more than one student without a formal sign off page will be returned and not evaluated until the paper has been formally signed off.

Submit A Research Proposal Before You Begin the Project If You Want Your Paper Marked

Submit a brief (1/2 page) research proposal by Week 6 (Week after intersession), in class, that states the social setting topic you’ve selected and who is working on it.

The Written Paper

The written paper should: be double-spaced; about 5-10 pages in length (depending on the number involved); preferably word-processed; adhere to accepted rules and conventions of English grammar and composition; and demonstrate sound argumentation, appropriate use of strong evidence, and responsible use of rhetoric. The analysis should demonstrate an understanding of sociological concepts and theory.  Outside resources, if used, should be properly noted and referenced.

Submit a hardcopy of the paper. Staple your assignment and include a cover sheet as well as a sign-off sheet, if more than one student is involved. Do not use plastic covers or other presentation materials.

Plagiarism and Falsifying Authorship

Plagiarism occurs when a student(s) hands in as his/her/their own work, material that consists of, in whole or in substantial part, someone else’s words. Plagiarism will result in a grade of zero for that assignment. If a group presents work that has actually only been done and written up by one member, that will be considered to be falsification of authorship and will be treated as plagiarism. All concerned, including the person who did the work, will receive zero.

Relevant Articles in E. Ksenych and D. Liu, The Pleasure of Inquiry, Thomson Nelson, 2008

The most relevant reading is “Observing” (pp. 428-441). The article discusses observation as a research method and how to do an observational field project.

Levin’s “The Sociological Perspective” (pp. 45-56) provides a general introduction to studying the social world sociologically and briefly discusses symbolic interactionism, the theoretical approach used in this assignment. Blumer’s article “The Methodological Position of Symbolic Interactionism” (pp.88-92) discusses the basis of this theoretical approach in more detail. If the focus of your project is on interaction patterns, then the article by Geiser , “Goffman: Rituals of Interaction” (pp.146-153) may be useful. And McIntyre’s article “Doing the Right Thing: Ethics in Research” (pp.454-466) outlines the general principles behind carrying out a field project ethically and discusses some of the issues which may arise.

Some articles from the Pleasure of Inquiry: Readings in Sociology (2008) by Ed Ksenych and David Liu (note: this book is on reserve in the Casa Loma Library if you wish to access these articles) which involve analyzing a social setting with a focus on either role performances or interaction patterns are:

• Miner, “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema” (pp. 4-9)
• Reiter, “Life in a Fast Food Factory” (pp. 10-17)
• Richer, “The Issue of Educational Opportunity” (pp. 119-130)
• Beagan, “Even If I Don’t Know What I’m Doing I Can Make It Look Like I Know What I’m

Doing”: Becoming a Doctor in the 1990’s (pp. 131-145)

• Bruckert, “The World of the Professional Stripper” (pp. 307-322)

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THE STRANGE WORLD OF THE FAMILIAR

ANALYZING SOCIAL SETTINGS: MORE DETAILED GUIDELINES

The Sociological Framework Used in this Field Study

The sociological framework used in this field study is “symbolic interactionism”, specifically the “dramaturgic model of social life”. Drawing on a theatrical metaphor, this framework asks us to view social life as “social actors” performing in social positions within a social setting or scene. The social positions have typical privileges and expectations connected to them.  And the interactions among the actors are governed by interactional norms appropriate to the situations that arise in the setting. As a result of these social requirements, there is a degree of typicality to the role performances and patterns  to the interactions found among the individuals who occupy the social positions.

Within this framework, the status of a social position refers to the usual rights and privileges accorded to those who occupy a position.  Role refers to the typical expectations directed at individuals who occupy the social position and their typical responses to those expectations.  Role expectations have both an external dimension (i.e., costumes, behaviours, props, manners, etc.) and an internal dimension (i.e., attitudes, beliefs, feelings, etc.) to them.  Norms  refer to the explicit and implicit social rules (such as formal laws and regulations, moral injunctions, customary folkways and cultural habits) which prescribe how occupants of social positions in a specific setting should  conduct themselves. In social setting studies, attention is often given to the informal rules and expectations that shape social interactions.

The Aim of the Field Study

The aim of this study is to observe, describe and analyze what’s going on in a specific type of social setting in terms of social positions, role performances or interaction patterns.

Specifically, what are common or regular features of the social setting?  What are the main social positions available in that setting?  If your focus is on roles, then what are the characteristic status rights and role expectations that apply to these positions?  If your focus is on interactions, then are there any recurring interactional patterns or ritual encounters?  If so, then what are the norms that govern these interaction patterns?

Doing the Field Work

The field work involves visiting a few examples of a chosen social setting to observe what’s happening and to note regularities and patterns in the setting and people’s conduct.

In addition, you are asked to organize and report your observations using the symbolic interactionist framework.  That is, describe what’s happening in terms of social positions, roles, role performances and/or norm-governed interaction patterns.

Since there are so many things you could describe regarding people’s conduct in any social setting, focus your descriptions on one or two social positions and how individuals are performing in terms of status privileges and role expectations.  Or focus on the recurring interaction patterns.

Analyzing Your Observations Sociologically

To some extent, observing and reporting what’s happening in terms of positions, roles and/or interaction patterns and norms already represents a partial analysis of the situation in sociological terms.  However, the main analysis involves accounting for and understanding the role performances and/or the norm-governed interaction patterns in terms of their practical, social structural and cultural significance.  This is not the same as just explaining away what one sees through literal or familiar interpretations, even though insightful applications of practical reasoning highlight an important dimension of what is, of course, occurring.

In analyzing social settings, it’s useful to remember there are several layers of meaning to social reality.  So give attention to what’s explicitly going on and what may be implicitly or indirectly occurring.  The implicit dimensions often become visible when observing the detailed patterns of how things are actually organized and actually carried out, and then reflecting on why this way rather than some other possible way.  Other levels of meaning have to do with recognizing that what’s going on also reflects broader social structural arrangements, cultural systems and historical changes, although we may not have noticed this at first.

Relevant Readings in Conflict, Order and Action

The following articles from the reader [Ed Ksenych and David Liu (ed), Conflict, Order and Action, 3rd ed, Canadian Scholars Press, 2001] provide a more extensive background to symbolic interactionist theory and some key concepts:  Herbert Blumer, “Society as Symbolic Interaction” (pages 100-103); and, Saul Geiser, “Goffman:  Rituals of Interaction”  (pages 104-111).

Doing the social setting project involves working with “qualitative” rather than quantitative research methods, notably “observation” and “participant observation”.  For an overview of these methods read J. Aaron and M, Wiseman, “Observation” (pages 444-447) and “Participant Observation” (pages 448-453).

And if the focus of your investigation is on roles rather than on interaction rituals, you may find Aron and Wiseman’s  guidelines for doing a role analysis helpful (pages 460-467), although their approach involves outlining encounters among more social roles than this assignment requires.

There are also examples of different styles of doing social setting studies in the reader:

• B. Glaser and A. L. Strauss, “The Ritual Drama of Mutual Pretence” (pages 114-123)
• Stephen Richer, “Equality to Benefit from Schooling” (pages 150-160)
• J. Haas and W. Shaffir, “The Professionalization of Medical Students” (pages 161-171)
• Ester Reiter, “Life in a Fast-Food Factory” (pages 182-188)
• W. E. Thompson and J. L. Harred, “Topless Dancers” (pages 358-374)

Other Relevant Readings

There are many theoretic background readings, further examples of studies, and general overviews of the main subject areas of sociological study which are cited in your course outline under “Print Resources”.  Sometimes it can be useful to check out the relevant chapter of a general sociology textbook which outlines the broad topic area your particular social setting project falls into.

Internet Resources

Finally, if you would like to draw on Internet resources to assist you in gathering, discussing, and analyzing your research project findings, there are sites listed in your course outline.  In addition, the following general sociology sites may be of some use:

The SocioWeb: www.socioweb.com/~markbl/socioweb

SocioSite:  Going Dutch: www.pscw.uva.nl/sociosite/index.html

Academic Information:  Sociology: www.academicinfo.net/soc.html

Statistical Resources on the Web:  Sociology     www.lib.umich.edu

Writing Up the Social Setting Project

Your social setting project paper should include separate sections which respond to each of the following areas:

Introduction:  What is the purpose of your field study?  Clearly and explicitly state the purpose of your field study.

Method:  What did you do in your field study?  Outline the general approach you took to the social setting project and the details of how you actually did your particular project.

Results of the Field Research:    What did you find based on the participant observation you did?   Describe the results of your observations: a) of the social setting you studied, as well as b) of the role expectation and status of the social position(s) you focused on, or of the interaction patterns you noticed.

Your description should consolidate or synthesize what you observed by focusing on what you “typically” or “generally” found. Highlight notable particularities as a variation, exception, etc. from the typical or the general.  Use the basic sociological language which frames this field project (e.g., social position, role, status, ritual interaction patterns, norms, etc.) to organize and present your findings. Finally, remember that details of what you observed are important even though they seem ordinary and trivial at first.

Sociological Analysis:  How can we understand, or account for, what you found sociologically?  The most important question to keep asking about what you observed is “why?”, or more specifically, “why did you see this and not some other possibility?”  Use sociological concepts, other relevant social scientific research, or sociological theory to assist you in framing and developing responses. If you do, take the time to outline the concept, research or theory.

The following are some possible angles to also consider in discussing and analyzing your findings sociologically:  a) use your observations to illustrate a relevant sociological concept or process taken up in the course;  b) use structural-functionalism or conflict theory to further interpret and understand the significance of what you found;  c)  compare and contrast readings from the course, or other social scientific research of which you are aware, by highlighting what applies and doesn’t apply to your findings; and d) check out a relevant chapter from a general introductory sociology textbook in the library and work with it to discuss aspects of your findings.

Concluding Reflections:  What did you learn from this project? If you didn’t learn anything from this project, think about and then write about your own mindset and/or ways you might have changed your approach to this activity.

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