Part 1: Social Group Observation
Imagine you are a sociologist who is researching the behavior of social groups in social settings.
Conduct an in-person observation in a setting where a group of people gather. Examples of places with groups include malls, grocery stores, libraries, restaurants, coffee shops, parks, schools, employee break rooms, parking lots, pubs, sporting events, or your local neighborhood.
Station yourself in a safe location where you can observe people for 30–60 minutes without having to approach or engage them. You will just observe people, not interact with them.
Use the Social Group Observation Template to collect field notes on the following data about the individuals in your observation, as you perceive it:
Gender/sex
Race/ethnicity
Age
NOTE: Your numbers do not need to be exact but try to make them as accurate as possible.
DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR FIELD NOTES with your assignment—they are for you to reference as a guide during your observation.
Part 2: Findings
Write a 350- to 525-word explanation of your observation findings. Do the following information in your discussion:
Describe the setting for your observation, including the location, time of day (morning, afternoon, evening), and the weather, if relevant.
Describe the patterns of group behavior you observed that may have been influenced by each of the following factors:
Setting
Gender/sex
Race/ethnicity
Age
Describe any cultural norms you may have observed in the social groups.
Explain any social or economic factors that may have influenced the dynamics of the social groups.
Explain how observing social patterns and group dynamics may help you personally at work or community (not others) succeed in culturally diverse environments.