For my breeching experiment I decided to walk directly across people in the hallways of EPEASW. Walking in front of others like this upset a lot of people because you could notice the confusion in their face. It typically breaks a social norm because people do not cut across people while walking to class. While doing this experiment I noticed that a lot of people would stare at me and become upset while others seemed quite confused by it.
Symbolic interactionism 1969 by Blumer indicates that symbolic interactionism is an approach to the study of human group life and the conduct of humans (68). The question Blumer rises is how do we study the human group life and social action. Empirically it is quite impossible, as professor Bradley stated in class that when a human knows they are being watched they will always behave in a different manner as they do when they are alone. There are many factors which contribute to group life behaviors. For example in my breeching experiment people reacted negatively and looked at me like I was doing something out of the ordinary, which I was. Although many of us don’t typically cut across others sporadically while walking down a straight narrow hallway, I could hear the people talk under their breath, while one person specifically said, “watch where you’re going.”
Blumer dicusses self-indication as a communicative process in which the individual gives things meaning and acts on the basiss of these meanings. From my experiment I wasn’t embarrassed to do it, and I conducted the experiement without hesitation and showing to others that I was comfortable doing it. Structural and environmental pressures are what alters the main idea of behaviors and the norms that should be abided. Blumer states that “The process of self-indication exists in its own right and must be accepted and studied as such…the human being constructs his conscious action” (73).
“The assumption is that the behavior of people as members of a society is an expression of the play on them of these kinds of factors or forces” From Blumer’s point of view I agree that people interpret one’s behavior and judge them based on that. Blumer challenges us by asking “whether human society or social action can be successfully analyzed by schemes which refuse to recognize human beings as they are, namely, as persons constructing individual and collective action through interpretation of the situations which confront them” (78). From what Blumer states humans will always adjust their behaviors in different environments. Granted, common sense, manners, and education play a part in ones behavior. As a society we base each other on first impressions from which we decide if someone is compatible with us. From my personal experience, I have dealt with customers at my job that portray an attitude of always being angry. But after seeing them in other social atmospheres I see a completely different side to people. After having this realization I made the conclusion that perhaps these people develop a negative attitude while shopping in places that are crowded or waiting in lines.
Blumer’s study of human society and social action is very interesting to me and keeps me intrigued to challenge the reasoning behind others behavior and first impressions.
Symbolic interactionism 1969 by Blumer indicates that symbolic interactionism is an approach to the study of human group life and the conduct of humans (68). The question Blumer rises is how do we study the human group life and social action. Empirically it is quite impossible, as professor Bradley stated in class that when a human knows they are being watched they will always behave in a different manner as they do when they are alone. There are many factors which contribute to group life behaviors. For example in my breeching experiment people reacted negatively and looked at me like I was doing something out of the ordinary, which I was. Although many of us don’t typically cut across others sporadically while walking down a straight narrow hallway, I could hear the people talk under their breath, while one person specifically said, “watch where you’re going.”
Blumer dicusses self-indication as a communicative process in which the individual gives things meaning and acts on the basiss of these meanings. From my experiment I wasn’t embarrassed to do it, and I conducted the experiement without hesitation and showing to others that I was comfortable doing it. Structural and environmental pressures are what alters the main idea of behaviors and the norms that should be abided. Blumer states that “The process of self-indication exists in its own right and must be accepted and studied as such…the human being constructs his conscious action” (73).
“The assumption is that the behavior of people as members of a society is an expression of the play on them of these kinds of factors or forces” From Blumer’s point of view I agree that people interpret one’s behavior and judge them based on that. Blumer challenges us by asking “whether human society or social action can be successfully analyzed by schemes which refuse to recognize human beings as they are, namely, as persons constructing individual and collective action through interpretation of the situations which confront them” (78). From what Blumer states humans will always adjust their behaviors in different environments. Granted, common sense, manners, and education play a part in ones behavior. As a society we base each other on first impressions from which we decide if someone is compatible with us. From my personal experience, I have dealt with customers at my job that portray an attitude of always being angry. But after seeing them in other social atmospheres I see a completely different side to people. After having this realization I made the conclusion that perhaps these people develop a negative attitude while shopping in places that are crowded or waiting in lines.
Blumer’s study of human society and social action is very interesting to me and keeps me intrigued to challenge the reasoning behind others behavior and first impressions.