BLOG POST #4 - The Norm Experiment (due Thurs. 10/15 at 12 noon)

According to the dictionary, a norm is "behavior that is expected" (OED). For this assignment, you are a social scientist trying to discover norms related to communication technology.

Part I: Sign-Up for one of the norm experiments on the norm experiment sign-up sheet on Moodle . Please include the text of the experiment description at the beginning of your blog post (e.g., copy and paste it).

Note: If you choose the last option ("propose your own norm experiment") you MUST get Emily's permission before you conduct the experiment. Any unauthorized norm experiments will automatically receive zero credit for the assignment.

Part II: Conduct the experiment and observe the reactions of witnesses as carefully as possible. To successfully complete the assignment, do not explain to anyone that you are conducting an experiment for a class until after the experiment has been completed; if you tell people ahead of time, your experiment will not be effective. Do not perform this assignment with other people from this class. If you are challenged during the experiment, do your best to act as if the way you are behaving is normal. Do not explain yourself.

In part II, report what happened in your experiment. First, describe others' reactions to your efforts, keeping your witnesses anonymous. If someone spoke to you during the experiment, write as accurate a transcript of what they said as you can. If body language or facial expressions were important, describe them. If portions of text messages or emails are important to show how someone reacted, include them. In addition, describe your own reactions, as they can reveal a lot about the relative strength of different norms. Remembering the definition of "norm" in Part I, describe the norm(s) you broke during your experiment. Try to think beyond just the specific norm you set out to break; are there any other related norms that became apparent during this experiment (either by you, or by the people you interacted with during the experiment)?

Part III. Using specific examples from your experiment, explain how the social norms you tested in your experiment are related to the design of the communication technologies involved.

There are many ways to answer this question. For instance, you might explain how a particular feature of a communication technology upholds or violates a norm. Or you might explain how some communication technology requires new norms to be created for it. Or you might explain how new communication technology has led to a change in norms. Or you could answer the question by relating your experiment results to the features of infrastructure, to our discussions of space and CT, to identity, politics, etc.

IMPORTANT: You will automatically receive a zero for this assignment if you break either of these two rules:

1. No information that could personally identify one of your witnesses can appear in your blog post. (No names, no photos, no recordings! Make it clear you are using pseudonyms so that you don't have a problem with this requirement. Example: you could write "Person A" or "I will call the first witness 'Jane Doe'.")

2. You must write about your witnesses in a manner and tone that is respectful. For instance, your description of a reaction must not sound like you are making fun of the witness.

Tips and Advice:

Post an answer of at least 300 words to your blog.

DEADLINE: Thurs. Oct. 15 at 12 noon