Qualitative Research Observation Assignment
“Behavior in Public Places”
The “social order” can be defined as the end result of persons following given rules of conduct (Goffman, Behavior in Public Places). For example, following traffic rules produces traffic order. Consequently, there are many kinds of social-orders such as legal, economic, traffic, etc., which emerge from different sets of rules.
We will be concerned with social-order that arises out of persons following rules. Since social-order is (almost tautologically) dependent upon acting out of conduct in public
(rather than private) settings, we will be specifically concerned with behavior in public places.
To discover the rules or at least to begin to specify some of them requires careful observation and recording of behavior in situated social occasions. That is, we will want to look at acts which are intrinsic components of a given situation rather than those which are merely situated, idiosyncratic and personal. For example, an intrinsic component of the situation in the reference library is the act of taking a book off the shelf. Whether the book is good or bad, whether the student reads quickly or slowly, or is bored or engrossed, etc, are idiosyncratic, and, therefore, merely situated. We will want to stay on the sociological level rather than the psychological level.
An example of choices of different kinds of public places might be a supermarket, a court, or a bar. An example of the same kind of place in different areas might be a campus restaurant, a suburban restaurant, and a downtown restaurant. You will have to use care in selecting a location where you yourself are relatively unobtrusive and where you can manage to take notes.
A. Some suggestions as to what to observe : a. Verbal Behavior: If you observe verbal behavior, record exactly what was said as well as the context in which it was said. Example: The waitress when asking for our order said to the (male) first, “What will it be tonight, Sir?” And then to the (female),
“And you, Honey?” b. Tie-Bonds: These are non-verbal communications which confirm for the actors and illustrate to the observer that two or more persons are “bonded” to each other.
Examples are touching, eye-contact, smiling, etc. In a setting where verbal communication is minimal or difficult to record (e.g., sidewalks and streets), you might want to look at the tie-bonds. Observe and record carefully what kind of bonding is going on. c. Body Language: How do people use their bodies – posture, limb placements, facial expressions, etc., -- to communicate rules? In a setting where people are “naturally isolated,” e.g., queuing up in a bank line, you may want to look at body language. (You

may want to focus on just one part of the anatomy; or consider how the parts of the anatomy which convey sexual identity are protected from observation.) d. Structural Features of Environments: You might want to look at some constant structural feature of the different settings. Given the common structural feature, e.g., door, bars, immovable chairs, etc., is the behavior consistent throughout the settings? e. Auto-Involvement: In almost all setting there is auto-involvement; e.g. playing with one’s own shirt tails, hair, bracelets, etc. What kinds of auto-involvements are apparently okay in the setting you are observing? Are any of them apparent “normviolators?” (You can tell by the response of the other actors in the situation.) f. Environmental Involvement: Differential use, value, and attention to “human” objects which exist in the setting; e.g., football players, minister, teacher, etc., or to nonhuman objects; e.g., video games, T.V. sets, pool tables, for example, in bars. g. E and F Above: It might be fun to test out the idea that the extent of auto involvement in public settings is a function of environmental non-involvement. h. Exits and Entrances: For example, watching the face-front and the leave-taking rights of persons in-and-out of liquor stores in different parts of town might be of interest.
(You can stay parked in your car, unbeknownst to anyone – keep your recordings and look like a busy salesperson.) Watch the behavior of persons saying good-bye at airports or bus stations. i. You many want to observe gender, age, race, etc. differences in any of the above; or rules governing the interaction between genders, generations, races, etc. j. Ecological Distribution: How do people distribute themselves within social spaces? Are there rules governing the distance between people in particular settings?
B. A note of Ethics and Ethical Responsibility
1. In your research you are not to engage in any conduct or go to any setting in which it is likely you will bring grief to yourself, me, or to the college. All of the suggestions given to you are legal, moral, and cause no harm to anyone.
2. It is assumed you will follow the established rules of science and this college.
Bogus data is no data at all! Given the breadth of this assignment, you should be able to find settings that you really have been curious about. Take advantage of your assignment to find out about them.
C. Some suggested setting for observation (use your own ideas as well):
Supermarkets

Stores – Department, Furniture, Discount, Liquor, Book Stores, Antique Stores
Malls
Waiting Rooms – Hotels, Doctor’s Offices, Emergency Rooms
Transportation Centers – Airport, Bus Terminal, New/Used Car Showrooms, Elevators
Courts – Municipal, Traffic, Domestic-Relations, General Sessions Court
Leisure Time Centers – Skate Parks, Sporting Events, Bowling Alleys, Parks
Streets and Sidewalks
Banks
Service Stations
Churches
D. Recording of Observations
In recording your observations, try to abide by the following rules: a. If your visible recording will disrupt the ongoing activity you are trying to observe, hold off doing it. However, if this is the case, excuse from the scene from time to time to jot notes to yourself (i.e. Use the bathroom or your car). b. In all cases record as quickly as possible the behavior you have observed.
Write up your field notes or tape record them as soon as you have left the field. Do not sleep on it! The freshness and detail of the scene will quickly disappear. c. If your observations inspire interpretations or questions, record them also.
However, separate them from the actual observation by putting parentheses around them or identifying them in some other way. (Your comments are frequently quite useful since you may be seeing things that are not readily apparent from the observation itself.) d. This is not a poetry contest! If you are recording verbal behavior, the recording should be a faithful depiction of the way people talk. Don’t try to clean up the grammar, syntax, or language style. If they use vulgar words, you write those vulgar words!
E. Some helps and hints for observing in natural settings
1. As already stated, if your recording will interfere with the natural processes going on around you, don’t engage in it publicly, however; in most setting there are ways to disguise what you are actually doing. (For example, you can look like you are taking notes from the textbook onto cards.)
2. Give yourself a while to feel comfortable before starting your observation.
Remember, you are in a public place and you have a right to be there. You are not doing anything illegal or immoral, nor interfering with the rights of anyone else. So, no need to feel guilty about it – Act natural!

3. Remember you are in a live setting. The action may not be what you expected.
Be prepared to be flexible, and that “non-action” is also significant.
F. Beginning the Observation:
Enter the setting(s) with a clear idea of what you want to know about (see section A).
For example, “What are the rules governing entering and exiting elevators?” What rules govern the interaction between strangers waiting for walk-lights?” “What rules govern the public display of affection between adults/children, females/males, males/males?” It is often easier to do comparative analysis – e.g., comparing males and females, young and old, within a given setting. Don not enter a setting completely “open” to it.
Although this technique is good if you have a year or so to complete your work, it is not practical when your research time is limited. Try taking the stance of a “martian,” bracketing that which you take for granted about the interaction you are planning to observe. You will be working inductively from the actual observation of the phenomenon, rather than deductively.