Harold Garfinkel's Situational Norms In Sociology

The unwritten rules that govern our lives are called norms, the definition of a norm is simple, "something that is usual, typical, or standard." Norms can be defined as the day to day codes of conduct which are perceived as typical, normal and standard that dictate everything we do. From how we talk to people, to when it is appropriate to talk, how we interact with others, to something as mundane as how we dress. Norms define absolutely everything in a society but how did it get to that point and why.

Erving Goffman is accredited as the pioneering scholar to provide foundations for what a norm is. Interest in sociology has seen subsequent scholars in the field embark in research beyond the definition of a norm to include the reaction of individuals as well as the society at large when the social codes of conduct are breached. Harold Garfinkel specialized in a sociological aspect he termed as ‘breaching experiments’ where he focused on analyzing human behavior about the breaking of norms. Of the course of his life Garfinkel "held" many breaching experiments, one of his most famous was the elevator experiment. One of the situational norms of being in an elevator is when you enter the elevator, you select your floor, step back and face the door until the elevator reaches your floor.

Garfinkel challenged this norm by spending large amounts of time in elevators facing the wall with his back to the doors. People had a wide variety of reactions, most were of confused or