Social Norm Project

The social norm I violated was talking about condoms with strangers. This acts as a mechanism of social control because it is not something that is generally talked about aloud. Sex isn't seen as an appropriate topic of conversation, and neither are condoms. By avoiding talking about condoms in public places, let alone with strangers, it eliminates awkwardness and embarrassment, and people can avoid talking about their personal sex-lives.

I am breaking this norm in Lucky's grocery store around late afternoon. I am observing a woman worker and her reaction to my question.

Before I started recording, I picked out two different brands of condoms. I walked over to the closest area of the store and approached the worker. My sister was standing across from her recording the scene with my iPad in her purse. I approached the worker and asked her, "which brand do you prefer?" After she looked at the boxes and realized what I was asking, she was really confused. She looked at both boxes and told me that it was up to me, and it was personal. I asked her again which she preferred, and she eventually said she preferred the "ultra thin" brand.

After I violated the norm, I felt a little embarrassed and amused. I felt embarrassed because condoms aren't something you bring up, especially to a complete stranger. I felt like she was judging me and labeling me because she assumed I was going to use the condoms. In terms of her reaction, I expected the confused look on her face. However, I didn't actually expect her to suggest a brand (hence why I was amused). The difficulty I encountered was that I was scared. I kept chickening out and I didn't want to go through with the project. 

I learned that social norms are used and followed in order to avoid awkward encounters and feelings of being uncomfortable. I learned that a lot of the time people choose not to act, ask a question, or do something different because they are embarrassed or uncomfortable. I noticed that though social norms help keep a sense of conformity, they may also hinder people from being themselves or asking questions.