Description of the Public Space: Codes of Conduct

              Answering Question Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation     Answering Question Description of the Public Space I conducted an ethnographic observation in a museum where people were observing different forms of arts and most of these individuals appeared to be delighted by the displays. The reason of choosing this site for observing normative interactions is due to the fact that it attracts a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds as well as different demographic groups. In a museum, an individual is able to meet with different groups of people, including couples, friends, families, colleagues and students (Gilman, 2005). People interacted with innate things such as pointing and touching pieces of art, while others walked with their Dogs in the art rooms. In addition, in this site, people are attracted by diverse forms of arts that are on display and the place tends to be popular when there is forum or several artists are displaying their art. Furthermore, it is evident that people tend to interact regularly, especially when they have come as a group. Those who have come individually appear to be observant and tend to keenly watch and study the meaning behind each art. Norms/Codes of Conduct There are different forms to social norms that were witnessed during this observation. These include: Nodding to appreciate the presence of others; shaking hands; direct eye contact when conversing; desisting from eating in the hall; addressing people by their name; talking in low tones; saying thanks; standing close to one another when conversing; not acting obnoxiously; desisting from using mobile phones; being neatly dressed especially for the employees; letting the other person finish talking first; respect for the older people; respecting the autonomy of others; and not staring at others. Six norms particularly caught my attention in relation to how prevalent they were observed. The first one is shaking hands particularly among people who had come as a group. Second, pairs tended to stand close to each other and converse closely while trying to decipher the meaning of an art. The third social norm observed is that people maintained direct eye contact when conversing as a sign of showing that one is engaged in the conversation. Social norms are usually developed based on the way people are brought up as well as their traditions and cultural practices (Downe, Cowell & Morgan, 2016). The fourth social norm pertained to thanking and appreciating the officials working in the museum. Whenever a person asked for assistance when it comes to deciphering the meaning of art, it was evident that the individual always thanked the museum personnel and they could be seen shaking hands. The fifth social norm that was prevalent among those observed is that people tended to converse in low tones perhaps in order to allow others to enjoy a quite atmosphere while enjoying pieces of art. The sixth best social norm observed is that people tended to acknowledge the presence of others by nodding and this showed that they respected each other. Studies have shown that social norms tend to differ based on the way individuals have been socialized (Nieweler, 2014). The social norms were not very distinct but it was evident that most students walked in groups based on gender, where male and female students walked differently. According to (Pizzolatto, 2013), Sigmund Freud d...