A breaching experiment is arguably the best way to obtain data of the sociological reactions exhibited towards a fracture in the perceived social normality. Commonly, people are able to enjoy a leisurely stroll from store to store in a shopping mall with little or no obstructions in their path. Faced with the encumbrance of someone hindering their stroll, how would they react? This is the question we strived to answer. First, we had to decide how we were going to impede their travels. The settlement ended being relatively simple; just sit down in the middle of the walkway. But that wasn’t quite enough to suite what we were looking for. There had to be something else being done while sitting to dupe one’s emotions so they would attempt to …show more content…
We posted up in front of the Verizon Wireless Kiosk on the first floor and in front of the Zumez store on the second floor. The trials took place on March 18th of 2010 and on March 22nd of the same year at around two o’clock on both of the dates. Our results often ended in people straight up ignoring us, which one would assume to be a common reaction. Confronted with the initial choice of what to do when someone is doing something odd, people are very often directed towards the option to ignore. It is a way to detach one’s self from the incident to where the only evidence it happened is a memory. Another common reaction was the infamous double take. Many a passerby would look back at what they just passed obviously perplexed by what they had seen. Many of the reactions were noticeably different between people of varying physical appearances and perceived social class. For instance, children often have a much more colorful response to something they don’t recognize. One example of this, during one of Andrew’s trials, a young Asian girl performed a dance around the experimenter as if trying to cheer them up. Another situation of physical traits affecting the reaction are when old couples are used. In every case they appeared, the old couple would ignore the “breacher”. African-Americans were no strangers to this either. Their attitudes were almost always the same in the
In social psychology and sociology field, a breaching experiment is one that evaluates the reaction of people to violation of accepted norms. The experiments consist of the exhibition of conscious engender, and social structure analysis that make the social reaction possible.
The objective of my experiment was to see how people reacted to a violation in the social norms of elevator etiquette. Generally in elevators, people are expected to fill in starting from the back, facing the elevator doors, rarely making verbal contact, with the possible exception of finding out which floor people are heading to. Unless the passengers of the elevator know each other, conversation is sparse and often limited to small-talk. As a result of this, my goal in the experiment was to introduce a foreign behavior to the elevator, something that nobody would expect while going about their day. Thus, I entered a situation where a certain set of expectations were in place, such as the informal rule that individuals should stand (rather than sit) in an elevator, and violated those unspoken rules without actually doing anything that would not be perfectly acceptable in another social setting.
There comes a time, in most citizens’ lives when they must stand against their government to produce change. Change can only be acquired if people take the necessary actions for it to take place. Nelson Mandela was a historical revolutionist who helped his people in Africa, to revolt against the government, in order to bring about change. As a result, he was sentenced to prison for 27 years for trying to overthrow the government. Many revolutionist, such as Arundhati Roy and Martin Luther King Jr., explain in their essays how the role of the citizen is to stand against injustice, and how the government labels them as anti-national because of it.
During syllabus week, I was immediately interested in the breaching experiment. I have always been interested in the challenging the mundane aspects of our culture and seeing how people react. A breaching experiment is an experiment that is used to observe and record reactions of people in which an individual breaks a social rule or norm. Breaching experiments are important because even if you don’t realize it, following the rules that have been set around us and acting like everyone else shows that you are supporting the structure of society. Also, one can promote a different reality when someone acts different or against the grain of society.
Simply put, civil disobedience is not only just, but is necessary in order to truly establish a "more perfect union." Henry David Thoreau said it best when he said "that government is best which governs not at all." Too often, it seems, the government oversteps its bounds, leaving those citizens it was created to protect left to their own devices, having to choose between what is legal and what is right. One of the most blatant examples of this in recent times is the implementation of the Health and Human Services (HHS) Mandate. Part of this mandate requires taxpayers to pay money that provides for contraceptives through their government mandated healthcare program. Many Christian denominations condemn contraceptives as being immoral. The requiring
It is clearly stated in the Bill of Rights that it is "the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." In other words, civil disobedience falls in the right of the people, so if they want to protest against something they consider an injustice, as it is happening now with people protesting against Donald Trump's executive order that "bands travel from seven Muslim-majority countries," they can, because it is within their civil rights.It goes the same with any other free society.
The political concepts of justice and how a society should be governed have dominated literature through out human history. The concept of peacefully resisting laws set by a governing force can be first be depicted in the world of the Ancient Greeks in the works of Sophocles and actions of Socrates. This popular idea has developed over the centuries and is commonly known today as civil disobedience. Due to the works of Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr. civil disobedience is a well-known political action to Americans; first in the application against slavery and second in the application against segregation. Thoreau’s essay “Civil Disobedience” and King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” are the leading arguments in defining
Is it right to break the law? In more cases than most, it is unjust because it usually infringes on the rights of the majority. Let's take a look at removing the Confederate Flag. A woman breaks the law by removing the Confederate Flag from the South Carolina Capitol building on grounds she deems as racial justice, According to the Washington Post "It's been a year since Micheal Browns shooting ignited a frenzy of Internet activists, community organizers, and social justice leaders". (2) The recent injustice the black/African American community is facing has sparked an uprising for the Black Lives Matter movement to constantly break the law in both peaceful and unpeaceful protest. Also recently these unlawful shootings have sparked riots that
Civil disobedience is it the answer to big government control or the bigger problem to today society. This is what we all must ask ourselves in this situation to look ahead for the future.
When my history class was told the new NHD theme for this year's History Fair is Taking A Stand in History, I had already known what I wanted to focus on; The battle for women's rights, or the women who have helped. I did not know what I wanted to do at first, but I had remembered seeing a protest on abortions. I then searched abortions and feminism/feminist and what I had found was extremely interesting, yet I still did not know what I wanted to do. My teacher gave me suggestions, and one of the suggestions was Roe v. Wade. I looked up Roe v. Wade up having no idea what it was about, it is about a woman who wanted an abortion not only for the reasons of a mental illness or being endangered but for the reason of wanting an abortion and being her right.
Stand up and take action. The people who truly make an impact in our world and society are people who do not let anything get in the way of their personal beliefs. Anyone can have a unique opinion; however, it takes someone with true courage and leadership to express their thoughts aloud.
What is social justice and how does it relate to liberation theology? How do sin, love, grace, and human freedom affect social justice? What restricts freedom and social justice? And how does all of this play a role in the Kingdom of God?
Over the years in our country’s history it has been apparent that the idea of same sex marriages is becoming much more popular, however in most states there is still one thing stopping them. That one thing stopping two people from the pursuit of happiness which they desire is a social injustice. Social injustices are situations where a person or group of people is treated unfairly due to certain factors for example discrimination, prejudice, racism, heterosexism, sexism, and so forth. In the case of same sex marriages, the factor playing a major role in this social injustice is where most people believe that opposite sexes attract, but in the case of a same sex couple wanting to be married, this brings about many topics to be discussed by
I believe that the statements and ideas listed herein this quote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (Martin Luther King Jr.) relates to how if one country is allowed to abuse, mistreat and terrorize their citizens that countries all over the world will fall like a domino and will eventually allow themselves to give similar treatment to their countries. I understand this quote as being a statement given by Martin Luther King Jr. against communism, fascism, civil rights abuses and unjust treatment in general because of the brutal and horrible lives that some people during his time had to experience and suffer under. The quote also states that injustice to any person of this planet is wrong and that regardless of rhyme or
The two senators who represents NY are Senator Charles E. Schumer and Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand. They both belongs to democratic party. According to Vivian in the New York Times article, “Chuck Schumer wins 4th term in senate” published November 8, 2016, stated that Senator Charles has serve the senatorial position for four terms. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has served as a senator for 3 years. According to bioguide, in the article ‘senate years of service’, says “her served as a senator began in 2009 due to the resignation of Hillary Clinton in 2009”. The committee assignments of the