For my sociological observation project, I decided to do my observation at a mall. It is very unfamiliar to myself because I have never been inside this mall since I am in a different state. It is unusual for my scenery because back home, I stay away from the mall because I don’t necessarily like to be in huge crowds. The location provides opportunity for sociological practices because there are many different people who walk in and out that have different perspectives and personalities. Therefore, it will provide me more with information and I don’t get to just observe a group of people. I went on to observe important gender orientations, gender roles, socialization rules, and other differences established by our society.
The observation took place on December 5, 2018 at the Rimrock Mall in Billings, Montana. The shopping mall attracts various demographics because the mall carries what the individual(s) needs and wants. During the observation, there were many teenagers and adults that were walking in and out because they have the capability of getting attracted to the place. Teenagers go to the mall often because the mall is often able to create facilitate socialization, which causes the teenagers to mingle with others and create romantic relationship with other teenagers. Meanwhile, the adults go to the mall because they simply enjoy what the mall offers.
When it comes to gender socialization, there are many differences between the preferences of what the woman and man does. The younger generations tend to show their bold fashion statements and they tend to all dress alike. It looks like they want to show off to others their fashion trends. Advertisements impersonate women as symbols of sex, therefore, causing younger generations to dress in revealing outfits that shows their feminist parts. Meanwhile, the advertisements make the men symbols show that they are the ones in command, therefore, they dress more accordingly.
People are so unique in their own ways whether its their religion, views, culture, and perceptions. But, in order to adapt these ways, people need to understand signs, norm, and social control. These helps shape the aspect of the social life in the mall. The signs are an important source with socializing because it helps people understand others around them. Norms are important when it comes to a big socializing place because they can either be formal or informal. There were a bunch of people use informal norms when they are in line for to buy something. Some used formal norms such as this one lady had a dog in her jacket when the mall itself don’t allow pets inside the building. People need to understand the social control because there were people who didn’t like it when others walked by them so closely.
The mall uses structural functions by identifying roles based on gender that is expected throughout society. They use women to showcase fashion clothing and products and the same goes for the men. But, since society has changed throughout the many years, feminity has taken control over the masculinity. In the mall, you see homosexuals expressing themselves through the feminist’s side because we live in society where homosexuals are finally getting equal treatment. They are the ones that take over the beauty side, causing the mall to expect more buying from the women and homosexuals then the men.
Throughout the mall, I noticed that there was a wide population of Caucasian that were in the mall at the time and who also worked there. There are a lot of different diversities in the mall but there was more Caucasian then any other race. It seemed like the Caucasian were being more accepted in the mall because they were being friendlier to them than others. The mall securities were carefully watching other races as they walked through the mall. Throughout the mall, you will notice that the Caucasian work in the high dollar shops and the other diversities were either at the food courts or the mini stands they have out in the middle of the walk ways.
