Introduction

In sociology, the sociological theory enables learners to learn and discuss a lot about social norms and deviant behavior. To learn more about social norms and norm violation, our professor challenged us to break the rules and observe the reactions of our action from various people. We decided to break the folkway norms by invading on the privacy of other students in the library.  The folkway norms are daily social expectations that distinguish between rude and polite behavior. My partner and I went and sat with the seven targeted students we had focused on although it was clear that they needed to be alone. We had predicted that invading the student’s personal space would result in them walking out or moving to a different place. We expected such reactions because, in the first place, no one feels comfortable when he or she has to spend private moments with a stranger. Besides, that is the most likely thing each of us would do in the same situation.

The norm violation took place in the university’s library. The library is a three storey building, and it is one of the most peaceful places in the university. Like any other institution, the library is seen as a place for knowledge and students, and other users are expected according to the set norms since the place has various people with different beliefs and cultures. The library was a perfect place for us to experiment. There were less than ten people in the library at the time. We focused on the Cuarto study lounge because it is the section of the library that offers an ambiance suitable for personal space. All the people we had a chance to interact with were students in our university, and we are practically the same age. In total, they were five boys and two girls. We covered the lounge of the first, second and third floor because this would enable us to identify the observations of different students who do different courses.

Our experiment was an example of the breaching experiment introduced by Garfinkel. We were to behave in a socially awkward manner with the aim of testing the sociological concepts of conforming to social norms. Michelle and I went to the Cuarto study lounge of the different floors of the library and sat directly or next to seven students seated in different locations. The experiment would be successful if we managed to annoy or make the seven students feel uncomfortable and anxious. At the course of the research, I was very apprehensive because I have never disturbed other students or people intentionally.  For example, when I went and sat with one of the male students sitting alone on the couch, he was surprised and confused at the same time probably wondering why I had decided to sit near him amidst the many empty chairs in the lounge. But, he then went on with his work, perhaps because he felt that I was not a threat or he did not want any trouble.

The next target was girl comfortably listening to music, and Michelle states that she only gave me an uninterested look and continued with her siesta. I feel she felt that I had the right to sit wherever I pleased because it was in a public space where there is freedom to choose where you want to relax. The third norm violation activity saw me sit next to a girl and boy who were busy doing maths. I observed that the boy was somehow angry and confused because he felt that I was interrupting a serious activity.  I also agree with his reaction because it is rude to see people discussing something and join them without their consent. On the same note, the girl also felt unsure as to why I would choose to sit next to them, and she moved her studying material close to her. Being too close to someone you don’t know elicits fear given that I was also afraid that the girl would accuse me of interfering or trying to steal.

Michelle was also tense because the behavior we were unleashing was unsocial. For example, Michelle experimented with two boys seated at the lounge. She joined them in the small rounded table, and although it was full, one of the boys made some room for Michelle. Their reaction was more proactive as it was gentlemanly.  I think the two male students wanted to behave well although they seemed surprised and uneasy probably because they did not know how to socialize with Michelle. The gesture made me feel at ease because I was sure that the boys were ready to accept Michelle into their personal space, a positive step in the socialization process. From this encounter, Michelle and I came to the conclusion that gender influences how people view norm violation. The observation confirms the notion that men are easy to socialize with as opposed to women. In another experiment, Michelle sat down on a couch next to a boy who was busy chatting with his friends. Michelle turned her body towards the boy making them too close to each other. I could see that Michelle was quite embarrassed and the boy seemed amazed probably confused about how and why the strange girl would want to sit that close to him. He was restless.

Generally, we were afraid that the students would shout at us, report us to the library security, or faze us out by refusing to interact with us. The whole activity seemed rather stupid because we already knew how our sample group was likely to behave and this made the entire exercise uncomfortable. The feelings we experienced made us identify that we are all conformists, and that is what brings about social order. Conforming means that we follow the established societal norms that facilitate normal relationships with people we know and strangers.  Although people always assume the folkway norms, they are the most responsible for shaping our social behavior because they provide a limit on what is socially acceptable and not. Luckily, our actions were not considered that offensive, and we were not subjected to any punishment. I think the way we felt during the experiment was enough punishment and none of us will be willing to behave so now or in the future.

Conclusion

The norm-breaking experience was an illustration of the significance of norms in society. The target students for the experiment had a minimal reaction to our behavior primarily because they felt that they were in a safe environment and we did not seem harmful. Even so, the exercise elicited awkwardness and an uncomfortable atmosphere for us and the targets because it is something that people are not expected to do. The reason why the students we used for our experiment had minimal reactions was due to other norms in our social norms. For instance, our social culture dictates that we should not freak out when we feel that someone is breaking a given standard.  From the experiment, it is likely that the students had applied this kind of logic and stayed calm, maybe if we had stayed longer, they would have attempted to stop the awkwardness by starting a conversation. We are socialized from a young age, and we know that it is rude to join a person uninvited or stare at them because it is uncomfortable. So, it is essential that we behave according to the set norms to encourage peaceful coexistence.

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