Nahimir Chacon
February 22, 2024
PSYC 3415
Breaking The Norm
Normally, it's expected that if someone is behind you as you approach a door, you'll hold it
open for them. This act of kindness is so embedded in our society that it often goes
unnoticed, executed more out of habit than conscious thought. However, I decided to flip this
script entirely. Instead of assuming the role of this courtesy, I positioned myself at the door
and asked people to open it for me. This segway from the norm was not only about observing
how people react when the tables are turned but also about understanding the motivations
behind these small acts of kindness.
I wanted to see what would happen if I switched things up. Instead of being the one to hold
the door open, I stood by the door and asked people to open it for me. I was curious - do
people hold doors open because they're just used to it, because they want to be nice, or would
they act differently if someone actually asked them to do it? The way people reacted was all
over the place. One person seemed really surprised, almost like they were thinking, "Who do
you think you are, asking me to open the door?" It was as if I had broken some unspoken rule
and they didn't like it. But then, a lot of people didn't seem to mind at all. They just opened
the door, some with a smile or a quick nod, like it was no big deal. It was nice to see that
there are folks who are willing to help out, no matter what. And of course, there were a few
who just ignored me. Maybe they were too caught up in their own world, chatting with
friends or looking at their phones, or maybe they just didn't feel like helping. It was
interesting to see the different ways people reacted. Doing this felt pretty weird. There were
times I wanted to just stop and go back to normal. Asking people to open the door felt
awkward and a bit forced, like I was putting on a show. But at the same time, it was kind of
exciting to break the usual routine and see what would happen. This wasn't just about opening
doors. It was a way to see how people deal with something unexpected happening in their
regular day-to-day stuff. It made me think about why we do the nice things we do for others.
Is it just habit, or is it something more? Some people seemed to catch on to what I was doing
and got more into it, which was cool. It showed me that maybe we can change the way things
are usually done, even with something small like this. I might have been a bit embarrassed,
and maybe that made me think people were reacting more negatively than they actually were.
But seeing all the different reactions was really eye-opening. In the end, asking people to
open the door for me was a simple thing, but it taught me a lot about how we interact with
each other and how we can challenge everyday norms. It's a reminder that being kind and
helping out should be something we do because we want to, not just because it's expected.