Shirley Tatum
Professor Monica Sosa
SOIC 1301
11 April, 2016
Breaching Experiment
Many people feel that it is uncomfortable standing closely to someone during a conversation, in an elevator or while walking. I have chosen this social norm violation because it really happens to many people. As I walk around people or when I’m in an elevator my first thought is to be mindful of their personal space because all humans have boundaries. Many people feel if their personal space is disrupted they are being attacked. Trying to keep a comfortable amount of distance between ourselves and strangers is very hard because there are many reason for one not knowing others’ cultural customs, religion belief, professional regulations, and even gender preferences. But the norm of personal space is what make us unique as Americans.
Other cultures may not have the same expectation when it comes to personal space.
In some cultures, greeting complete strangers with a hug and a kiss on each cheek is not only normal, but also expected. Other cultures find it completely normal to stand very close to someone you don’t know while talking to them. If either of these things happened to us in America we would be shocked and probably very uncomfortable. In America, personal space is a social norm that will definitely receive negative sanctions if violated. We also refer to our personal space as our “bubble”. Because when someone is facing us, they must be a certain distance away or we begin to feel uncomfortable. At the same time, if they stand too far away we also feel uncomfortable and begin to wonder. What is uncomfortable because they had a cart full of equipment and I had my push bag with my books? I said I have the right to ride this elevator because I’m handicap with leg and knees problem and I received negative sanctimonious remarks, “so do I.” They stated to me can’t you see this elevator is full I said I shall not be moved. I then decided to write down some question once I got settle off the elevator. I came up with three question. I was waiting for my class to start and as several people walked by and I asked are you from Louisiana because your voice sound like bayou language. The second question I asked how many kids are in your family, and were they married people. The first person I asked again was sitting on the half wall outside the library. From a normal distance I told her that I was doing question for one of my classes and asked if I could ask her a few questions. When she agreed I moved very close to her and asked the questions. I did the same with the next person. Then the third person was standing and I moved progressively closer with each question. The first person I spoke with seem to be in a hurry to get on and off the elevator. She did answer one of my question of if she was a native of Louisiana and the answer was no. But she did not respond to the other two as I was invading her space. The expression on her face indicated that she did not want to be bother with anymore question. After exiting the elevator I respond to the one she did answer by saying have a good day ma’am and she did not respond back just went on her direction.
As an overheard conversation the second person was talking about going home for the weekend to Shreveport. I immediately interrupt and ask her are you from Louisiana and her reply was yes. I then told her that I was from Louisiana and a matter of facts born in Shreveport. She voluntarily stated that she was married for twelve years and had a set of twins, two girls. She was very excited to meet someone from her home state and most of all city, there was a close connection that took place.
The third person was a prior service member whom served in the Persian Gulf War. We stuck up a close conversation and I stated that I was a native of Louisiana and he replied so am I, from New Orleans. He stated that he had recently lost his wife and had four children to raise. We became close friends and he did not feel or show any sign of me occupying his space. He said it felt good to have a closeness within someone whom understand how it feel and that he keeps no open space between him and his children just tight cohesiveness.
When I violated the people’s personal space, I received quite a few negative sanctions. First, people did look down to see how close I was to them. Then their expression showed they were uncomfortable. Then they would start to move around or step back and give judgmental looks. This all happened in a short amount of time, so people became uncomfortable very quickly. Needless to say, I was quite embarrassed during the whole process. I did not like being so close to complete strangers. I was awkward in my speech and my body language. I phrased the questions as succinctly as possible so that I wouldn’t have to stay long. I didn’t ask people to move over because I would get nervous to be in such an awkward situation. This experience made me realize how much our behavior is governed by social norms. Maintaining an acceptable amount between myself and strangers is challenging due to the facts of how do we know what amount of space is acceptable?
When I set out to break a social norm I decided to violate people’s personal space on the elevator at school and I was confronted that I should take to the stairs. The person was very uncomfortable because they had a cart full of equipment and I had my push bag with my books. But before I could get on the elevator another student enter and we knew each other from a previous and we were talking very loud and oh my I was immediately let know that I was invading the space and being dis respectful. I said I have the right to ride this elevator because received quite a few negative sanctions. First, people would look down to see how close I was to them. Then their expression would become uncomfortable. Then they would start to move around or step back. They would give me judgmental looks. This all happened in a short amount of time, so people became uncomfortable very quickly. The bottom line is in public area when one is at an elevator or walking one should keep a personal space between them and the other person to respect others manners
We also have religion belief to deal with when standing uncomfortably to someone during a conversation, in an elevator, or walking. People have different religion belief that shape their perception of seeing or understanding others social manners. For example, some religion doctrine that male and female should keep space between them if they are strangers.
This possible example of possible experiments cover a range of question, belief, respect courtesy and so forth. Now we would have the unknown gender preferences of the experiment. Gender preferences have become more concern in public. When we are in a public area with strangers we cannot assume other’s genders preference. But to respect what he or she live by. Therefore, keeping space to others demonstrate our respect.

But we have also the professional regulations of the experiment. Some professions require people to keep space between each other in a public area. For example, doctors and nurses or whoever work in medical field tend to keep space with stranger in a public area for the reason of avoiding germ spreading. When people do not respect us we are sharply offended. Duties are not performed for duty's sake, but because their neglect would make us uncomfortable of performs to give people the proper space and courtesy but one duty the duty of contenting our spirit, the duty of making ourselves agreeable to one another. You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus. Social cultural customs, we are living in a melting pot culture which includes many cultural customs and traditions that can be hidden in a public environment. When we do not know one’s personal customs, we should give that person an amount of space to show our respect. For example showing respect it’s about, you not them. Because talking to someone who pushes your buttons. We see them as a difficult person, because their behavior seems obnoxious. They showing little or no respect for you. My question is why should I demonstrate respect to them? This question just irks me dealing with difficult people. But as the good book say my answer is always the same by doing the right thing and that what is respectful to god and in his eye sight. Bottom line again is show respect for difficult people because being respectful sends a powerful message about who you are. Always remember to start the conversation on a positive note, as about their perception especially riding the elevator or even while walking, you must frame your own perspective not theirs and by doing this you can come to an agreement to explore options together.