Breaking Social Norms

When asked to write a response paper on breaking a social norm, it was very hard for me to choose one that wouldn’t get me arrested or in a lot of trouble. I eventually came up with an idea an experiment to see people’s reactions to something that society considers a social norm. According to society social norms are the rules that we live by that dictate right and wrong behavior within our society.

The social norms are also subject to some sort of punishment. In order to understand why my actions were considered to be breaking a social norm, I obtained permission from the general manager at The AMC Sony Imax Movie Theater in Stonecrest Mall to conduct an experiment. I will explain why, ringing cell phones, and telling other patrons the movie, or holding conversations with others is considered breaking a social norm not to mention an embarrassing experience when you get put out of the theater.

On Friday September 5, 2014 I took my kids to the movies to see the movie LUCY. While there I sat next to some patrons while my cell phone rang and echoed through the theater, then I proceeded to answer my phone and carry on a conversation with the other person on the phone. The next thing I did was get up and move my seat next to another patron and began telling him everything that was about to happen in the movie. I laughed really loud and obnoxiously at parts of the movie that weren’t even funny. It was so embarrassing for my children who had no clue as to what was going on. Finally after about 45 minutes into the movie one of the patrons got up and had the manager come and escort me from the theater. I explained to him that I had to get my children and he allowed me to go and get them. They pretended to act as though they did not know who I was.

When I was escorted from the theater I felt very embarrassed for myself and my children even though everything I did was planned. I was also ready for the reactions from the patrons in the theater because if it was me I would have been annoyed also. What I was doing was just plain rude. What I understood in this experiment that it was the voice of one person who told that actually had gotten me escorted from the theater, but 99% of the people in that theater were annoyed and angry that someone was disturbing them from watching a movie they may have paid $10.00 or more to come to see and enjoy. Everyone in the theater the patrons and my own children included felt that what I was doing was wrong and or annoying. I understand that if what I was doing was something that everyone in that theater were accepting of I would have never gotten asked to leave the theater. The patrons were society and as a group they decided that my behavior was inappropriate.

Society has rules that govern over peoples behaviors. Those rules are called “Social Norms”. The “Norms” that are dictated by society cover a very big range of behaviors, in just about any situation that you could think of, these rules also dictate how we should and should not act, and how we must and must not behave in those given situations. Social norms cover so much that it is hard to differentiate between which are personal and which are societies. It is necessary in order for a society to function in an orderly way society must form appropriate behaviors for the people in it. Not conforming to society or breaking a norm does hold certain consequences. The social norm I broke wasn’t something to get me thrown in jail, I still felt the repercussions of my actions.