Sociology in action

o Prompt: “Sociology in Action” Experiment Assignment. Choose one of the
following to complete the final paper.
a) Conduct a brief participant observation or ethnographic study, wherein
you study and/or participate in a particular group event or social
organization. Samples of events could include a visit to a religious group,
other than the one you usually attend; visit a new type or location of a cafe
or coffee shop; attend a sporting event; or any organization. To complete
the assignment, simply write down your observations, note any patterns
you observe, or point out any observations or patterns that particularly
surprise you.
b) Conduct a non-intrusive “breaching experiment,” wherein you attempt to
validate the existence of a particular norm. This may include singing on
the bus, singing in an elevator, not talking to anyone for a day, or any
other unusual activity. In writing, describe your experiment, and report
people’s reactions to your behavior. If possible, have someone record your
experiment and people’s responses. (Please do not do anything that
would put you in danger or that would put you in violation of the
Belhaven code of conduct or any laws.)
o Requirements: Write a 1,500-2,000 word paper to address the prompt above. Use
sociological concepts, your textbook, and scholarly material to support your
experiment (minimum of five scholarly resources). Please observe APA format
for this assignment; include a title page and reference page. An abstract is not
required.