Ethnomethodology

Summary

The script explores ethnomethodology, a sociological theory developed by Harold Garfinkel in 1967. It delves into how individuals interpret their everyday world through 'folkways,' or unwritten social norms. Garfinkel's experiments involved deliberately breaking these norms to observe reactions, highlighting the implicit rules that govern social interactions. Examples include hanging up on phone conversations abruptly and staring in elevators, which disrupt expected behaviors and elicit explanations of these unspoken rules, illustrating the social construction of reality.

Takeaways

• 📚 Ethnomethodology is a specialized version of symbolic interactionism developed by Harrell Garfinkel in 1967.
• 👥 It studies how people make sense of their everyday surroundings and interactions through 'folkways', which are unwritten social norms.
• 🤔 Garfinkel and his students conducted experiments by purposely violating social norms to observe people's reactions.
• 📞 One experiment involved hanging up on people during phone calls to see if they would call back and how they would react.
• 🚪 Another example was to not hold the door for someone, which is a common courtesy, to see if people would mention it.
• 👀 Staring at people in an elevator was used to test personal space norms, which can make others uncomfortable.
• 🤝 The act of merging in traffic and not receiving a 'thank you' wave was another norm tested to see if drivers would expect gratitude.
• 🗣️ These experiments aimed to reveal the unspoken rules that guide social behavior and how people enforce them.
• 🧠 The study of ethnomethodology helps understand the social construction of reality and how we navigate our social world.
• 💡 The speaker's experience with ethnomethodology in their undergraduate studies sparked their interest in sociology as a science.

Q & A

What is ethnomethodology?

Ethnomethodology is the study of how people make sense of their everyday surroundings, focusing on the unspoken rules and norms that guide social interactions.

Who developed ethnomethodology and when?

Ethnomethodology was developed in 1967 by sociologist Harold Garfinkel.

How does ethnomethodology relate to symbolic interactionism?

Ethnomethodology is a specialized version of symbolic interactionism, which emphasizes how individuals interpret and respond to social symbols and interactions.

What are folkways, and how do they relate to ethnomethodology?

Folkways are the everyday norms that guide social behavior, such as holding a door for someone or giving a courtesy wave while driving. Ethnomethodology studies how people follow or violate these norms to understand social order.

What experiment did Garfinkel and his students conduct to study social norms?

Garfinkel and his students intentionally violated social norms, such as hanging up on someone during a phone call or staring at people in an elevator, to observe how people would react to these unexpected behaviors.

Why do people feel uncomfortable when social norms are violated?

People feel uncomfortable when social norms are violated because these norms are part of unspoken social agreements that help maintain order and predictability in interactions.

What was the typical response when someone violated a norm during a phone call?

When a norm was violated during a phone call, such as hanging up suddenly, the typical response was for the other person to call back and ask, 'Did you just hang up on me?' before confronting the person about the rudeness.

Why is staring at someone in an elevator considered a violation of norms?

Staring at someone in an elevator is considered a violation because it breaks the unspoken rule of avoiding direct attention in confined spaces, which can make people feel uncomfortable and threatened.

What happens when personal space norms are violated, according to the script?

When personal space norms are violated, people often react by backing away or feeling uncomfortable, as they expect a certain amount of distance during social interactions.

What made the speaker fall in love with sociology?

The speaker fell in love with sociology after learning about ethnomethodology in an undergraduate class, particularly because of how the method creatively tests and reveals the importance of social norms.