Sociology expiriment!

samantha64118

So for my sociology class, we are supposed to a project where you go against a social "norm" and then right a paper on how others reacted. Although I don't normally eat it, I'm thinking of bringing McDonalds into a gym & eating it while going really slow on the machines, and then throughout make comments like "OH my god, I can really FEEL the burn right now!" Lol. And then see what the reaction is.

What I *don't* want is to throw anyone off track and cause them to go get McDonald's after they leave there. But I think for the most part I will just piss people off and get dirty looks lol. Oh and I should point out that it would be the gym at my apartment complex and I would tell the ladies in the office about it ahead of time so I don't get in trouble.

What are you thoughts on my experiment? If you had this project, what would you do?

HotBodUnderConstruction

LMAO.

Just make sure you have space in your food diary to accommodate your homework calories...

Make sure to go at a time when a lot of people will be there...I'm sure that will piss people off further.

janalayn

I think it is a brilliant idea. Are you going to interview your "victims" or just write about the reactions you can see?

christine24t

We did this in high school.
What I did is went to a public place and sat on a bench really close to someone, generally since nobody goes up to someone at the mall and sits on the same bench at them, and slowly inch closer and closer. Have a friend with you across the way to note how the person acts, or have your friend "perform" the experiment and document.
I think when I did it, most people got up and walked away.

The only problem I see with yours is that you're going against something that's not really a social norm. It's not a social norm to eat on an exercise machine. It would be weird to do what you're going to do regardless of whether it's carrot sticks or almonds. Nobody eats and works out at the same time.

Maybe to do a spin on this you could bring a meal from a different restaurant into another restaurant and eat it there, while making comments about how "oh X restaurant is soooo good" while you're in restaurant Y.

Fred77

take a ouija board to church, get a few people to take part, then sacrifice a goat

sylvuz323

I love it! Be sure to report back what comments you hear.

scapez

That sounds hilarious...I would love to witness it first hand!

PlunderBunneh

...I would probably start crying if someone ate mcdonalds on the treadmill next to me. It kills me enough that people bring fast food into the little kitchen/snack room and eat it there. It's a funny idea for your project, but I hope you don't live near me.
I remember doing this project back when I took sociology in high school. I lived in a very conservative area, so naturally for my project I had a very loud, very public, and very graphic yelling match with my lesbian lover in the middle of the mall foodcourt.

Sweet_Potato

Is not eating in the gym a societal norm or a specific rule? I think it would be more of the latter.

Or is the societal norm that you're going against the presumption that fit people don't eat fast food?

Carfoodel

Wouldn't ethical approval be problem for this? can see lots of potential ethical implications

how would you measure it? I mean would you measure based on your interpretation of body language? wouldn't you have to use a recognised theory behind the reaction? If you gauge by using a scoring system - how are you going to track it whilst eating and walking, wouldn't statistical analyses be difficult espec if you had already pissed people, would you go up and ask them afterwards? -

Sorry lol its been a long day just realised this is in the chit-chat forum - lol - yeah you go for it n good luck with writing it up...

applebobbrush

ROFL definitely report back to us as well! I think you should put down your burger on the heavier free weights while you lift a 2lb hand weight and then sit and try to catch your breath in between each "set". :laugh:

Noki1024

Or you can go into an elevator and face the wall instead of the doors, people won't know what to think!

CouchSpud

Create a little questionaire, that you can have the people at the gym fill out after. Maybe get a friend involved as well, just do your little show, then let another friend grab people before they leave and just take their honest opinions and remarks down, that way you get even more points for creating your own little statistics

cruiseking

I think the social "norm" that I would exploit, is the "norm" of people never, ever mentioning somebodies weight gain, or how fat they are. But it is perfectly "normal", to tell somebody that is skinny, how skinny they are, and that they should gain weight. Interview some really skinny people, and ask them how freely people make comments about their lack of bulk. My ex-wife was super skinny, and it used to really peeve her when people would tell her to gain weight, or tell her she was too thin. It happened all the time. If you were in the gym with a Big Mac, a McRib, and a Wendy's #4 super sized, I couldn't care less. But I would see the irony in the Diet Coke. Good luck with the project.

deksgrl

If you had this project, what would you do?

I would go and get in the front of every line wherever there is a line. See how many people tell you to go to the back of the line, or just act upset but say nothing, or if the employees in the business tell you the other person was next, or what.

rileamoyer

bump

brittanyjeanxo

I'd be like, dude can you toss me a fry? Hahaha, this is great idea, and a great excuse to get some McDonald's...you know, for the name of science Seriously though, great idea, let us know how it goes!

giggles1973

Omg!!! Please have someone record this and post it so we can watch!!!! Soooooo funny!!!!

12skipafew99100

It would be fun to note the reaction of the person taking an order at Mc Donalds when you order a couple of tacos. When said they do not have tacos then order a whopper. HAHA

Then order a diet water. lol

ALW65

...Yes, but the social norm for McDonald's will require you to order a Big Mac Meal, supersized....with a diet coke:noway:

anitam1987

take a ouija board to church, get a few people to take part, then sacrifice a goat

this!
although your idea will work too

L2M1D52

I had to do the same thing but I had to break two social norms. One of them I talked in the third person the whole day at work to customers and co-workers. That was pretty funny, people definitely noticed. The other I went to a resturant ordered something like spaghetti and ate it with my hands no matter whether I had utensils or not, that was noticeable too. I waited until the last minute so I came up with those but I really wanted to go to a bar as if I was pregnant and drink the night away. Good luck!

TDGee

Research and turn in a paper that is not for the assignment.

ninerbuff

So for my sociology class, we are supposed to a project where you go against a social "norm" and then right a paper on how others reacted. Although I don't normally eat it, I'm thinking of bringing McDonalds into a gym & eating it while going really slow on the machines, and then throughout make comments like "OH my god, I can really FEEL the burn right now!" Lol. And then see what the reaction is.

What I *don't* want is to throw anyone off track and cause them to go get McDonald's after they leave there. But I think for the most part I will just piss people off and get dirty looks lol. Oh and I should point out that it would be the gym at my apartment complex and I would tell the ladies in the office about it ahead of time so I don't get in trouble.

What are you thoughts on my experiment? If you had this project, what would you do?

I'd clap and ask how you fit it in. I eat McDonald's 2 times a week. Once for lunch (cheeseburger) and once for breakfast (Egg McMuffin). Mind you I get in all my macronutrients, all my micronutrients, exercise, get enough rest, and don't stress out. It's been working for me for over 28 years.


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