Deviance Log

Date: September 5, 2010
Location: Macy's
Folkway Broken: Facing the Elevator Door
Research Method: Participant Observation

Deviance Log
(What you did)
For my Sociology deviance project I attempted to break an elevator social norm. Normally, people stand looking at one particular direction, mainly towards the elevator door. Why they do it is unknown to me. Before I broke the norm I rode on the elevator and faced the door. Standing beside me was a older woman, and she didn't seem to mind and everything went completely normal. After she left I decided to break the norm and faced the window-side of the elevator, opposite to the door.

(Reactions)
I attempted this about three times. The first group that went in the elevator where quiet and didn't give much of a reaction. The second time only one woman got on the elevator. She seemed to quite nervous and she clearly avoided eye contact to me. The second elevator ride was very awkward to say the least. You could feel the tension! Lastly, the third round I was standing in front of a young adult male. He was with a similar aged woman and standing next to each other. The man scratched his head a couple of times and the woman gave me quick glances. Clearly they were not comfortable with me looking their direction.

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