Sociology Observation - Coursework Example

To do this task, I went to the restaurant alone and occupied a table. I ordered a cup of cappuccino coffee. After taking notes of the situation as described above, I stood over the table in front of my chair wearing a large smile on my face. My table was located in the middle of the hall, so when I stood over my table, I had become the center of attraction for the whole crowd. People around me showed different kinds of reactions; some dropped their jaws open in dismay and surprise, others gave anxious and disdainful looks to me.

A group of young boys started laughing at the top of their voices. Children came running to my table and started jumping at the floor as if trying to reach me. Immediately, the manager came running to me and asked me what had made me stand over the table and if he could do anything for me. I did not reply and just kept smiling. I looked down at him without letting the smile fade away. The manager repeated, “Sir, please come down.” After a long pause, he said, “Sir, I’m afraid I would have to call the security if you don’t get down NOW.

” I still didn’t move. I could see a man about to leave his table to get me when his wife took him by his arm, holding him back. Within a minute, the guards approached me. As soon as they did, I got down from the table, apologized to everyone, and explained the whole situation telling them that it was an assignment. I paid the bill for the coffee and left the restaurant immediately. It was one of the weirdest but most memorable experiences of my life. Sociological analysis Standing at the table was like breaking a norm because people want others to behave in a public place like a restaurant.

Restaurants are valued for providing people with a comfortable and tranquil environment in addition to delighting them with tasty cuisines, and this action of mine was ruining the environment. I was clearly not respecting or adhering to the culture of the restaurant. Many people were thinking about getting me down from the table and helping the manager but no one actually did because of the bystander effect. Everybody was waiting for someone else to take the initiative. This was the very reason why that woman held her husband back even when he was trying to be the first person to do something about the situation.

The restaurant’s manager was the first person who actually asked me to get down because he would be inquired about that if he did not. This suggests that the role makes people take the charge in a situation like this. When the manager asked me why I was doing that, I kept smiling because that sent a clear message that there was something wrong about the whole thing. Had I replied to him in words, I would have sounded more reasonable.