Exam 5: Understanding Social Interaction

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Harold Garfinkel's concept of ethnomethodology is a sociological approach that focuses on the ways in which people create and maintain social order through their everyday interactions. Ethnomethodology seeks to understand the methods and practices that people use to make sense of their social world and to navigate their interactions with others.

Garfinkel argued that people use "ethnomethods" to make sense of the social world, and that these methods are not always explicitly stated or consciously recognized. Instead, they are often taken for granted and operate at a subconscious level. Ethnomethodologists seek to uncover these underlying methods and understand how they shape social order and interaction.

One example of ethnomethodology in action is the study of conversation analysis. Ethnomethodologists analyze the structure and organization of everyday conversations to understand how people use language and nonverbal cues to create and maintain social order. For example, researchers might examine how turn-taking and other conversational norms are used to establish and maintain social relationships.

Another example of ethnomethodology is the study of "breaching experiments," in which researchers intentionally violate social norms to see how people react. For instance, a researcher might stand facing the back of an elevator instead of the doors, or they might start a conversation with a stranger in an unusual or unexpected way. These experiments help to reveal the underlying social norms and expectations that guide everyday interactions.

Overall, ethnomethodology provides a valuable framework for understanding the ways in which people create and maintain social order through their everyday interactions. By uncovering the implicit methods and practices that underlie social life, ethnomethodology offers important insights into the nature of social order and interaction.