Social psychology of Identities
Semester one
For my reading and reviewing assignment in semester one we were asked to research a topic that we had come across while brainstorming. For this I looked into Social Psychology of Identities and how people’s identities can change due to a number of factors, mainly due to society. While investigating this area I discovered that environments have a lot to do with this and so looked into other people’s work that backed up this statement. From researching and reading into this theory I realized that this could also be easily connected with the design sector and by using this information wisely I could gather a vast amount of data that could help designers such as myself create design responses. From using the methods that I have developed throughout Semester 2 I will use this to further research this area and demonstrate how effective these methods are in helping me obtain a vast quantity of evidence to support my argument.
From looking into the work of Judith A Howard I was able to achieve a better understanding about Identities. She believes the main reason for people to change in different circumstances, is mainly due to society and the effects that it has on people within communities. It has evolved from the idea of who one is to how your possession and outside influences make you who you are today. I then looked into another writers work to do with this area on identities and his take on things. Goffman believes that identities also change due to society, but looks at other ways in which it is done. He mainly looks into environments and the main ways of segregating people in society. From brainstorming this topic I was able to use the research skills I have obtained throughout semester 2, and break down the ways in which I would go about investigating this. From taking this topic and researching into it further then the methods I have learned would help me go about this and would hopefully be of great use to back up my argument.
To prove that Goffman and Howards views are valid I could use each method to devise a set of results that would hopefully relate to what was said. Now if I was to start off my additional research through observing I would be able to then use this to take pictures and to think I questions relating to my observations, thus leading to experiments. From doing each research method I would achieve different outcomes and so it would help me determine what method I would use in future if I wanted certain results. To see how people are with different people or on they’re own or even participating in random activities. Again I was thinking target areas where you can see both. I thought if I was to sit and observe then start off close to home: university campus. I could look at libraries, the union, social gathering and all. The union shop the art building. People there dress a certain way, why? Maybe to fit in?
Again from brainstorming the idea of an experiment involving people I first thought about the surrounding environment and how I could prove this to be a factor of someone’s identity. I then thought about an actual space, thinking about the size and shape, is the space open so there’s no confinement. What else is present in the space? Maybe a seat or is it just an empty box with a door? From looking at all possible angles I considered, looking into the idea of a prison cell. The confined space each person is given, the set regimes, and matching outfits all take away a person’s individuality. Basing my experiment on this idea, I would use an empty room with maybe a window and door. Allowing people to enter this room for a total of 10 minutes and then observing their behavior for that full time. By doing this and comparing each person I should hopefully see some similarities between people, within this confined space. By standing, walking randomly, sitting at a corner or in the centre of the room, leaning against a wall or lying down, I might be able to conclude how relaxed or uncomfortable people feel when placed in an unknown location. I would look into behavior patterns and the meanings behind people actions to complete the experiment. Now to avoid problems that may arise I would test this theory first of all with one factor. The main factors I would consider would be length of time, adding objects, light and dark and architectural features such a windows. If it didn’t give me the results that I was looking for then I would maybe look into the idea of people locked away in a prison, as the experience is looking into real circumstances. Another but similar experiment might be to lock several strangers away in a house for several days. From doing this I could reinstate how closed environments effects certain people and how. I think the intense environment and different personalities will be the main cause of the problems. Does it make them more confrontational or does it bring them together? I would use this method to show how an environment effects the actions of someone and whether this creates a positive or negative situation for people.
From looking into this theory a lot more I could, just from researching and observing different situations expand on the topic itself. If I were to look at major factors such as wealth, education system, crime all would show different variations and the effects on which it would have on people. This again could be taken further especially looking into deprived areas of the world and seeing how their lifestyle contributes to the ways in which they interact with one another. As the topic itself is of vast quantity and could be looked at from many different angles the different methods would be of an advantage. I would however have to consider certain factors such as age and culture that will vary from person to person.
Goffman E. 1959. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. New York: Doubleday
Goffman E. 1963. Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall
Howard J.2000. Social Psychology of Identities. Annual Review of Sociology, Vol.26: 367-393
Orwell G.1983. Nineteen Eighty Four. Penguin
Juteopolis Project
Semester 2
If I were to complete this assignment once again, this time using primary and secondary researching then the outcome would be slightly different. Looking into researching the topic of jute, gives me a better understanding towards the proposed topic. From looking at the most recent researching method: Primary research, I will examine the benefits of this method in helping me device a design response. From studying old photographs from around the time of the production of jute for example, just like we ourselves studied photographs in assignment 1 from a certain date, I may have been able to determine what was taking place and come to some sort of conclusion. By looking at how the people themselves lived and what type of clothing they wore can help me create a picture of what their lifestyle must have been like. The little things to do with lifestyle, working environments, family can all be determined from studying the photographs and like my results from our own experience, they probably would have turned out to be pretty accurate. If this was the case I probably would have gathered a good amount of knowledge to design the exhibition space to fulfil exhibitors expectations of what it must have been like to have lived and worked in such a place.
Using the picture idea again, I could have used this to gather information that would have been of great use when designing this exhibition space. If I was to maybe carry out my own experiment where I selected a number of photographs from around the production area, the working environment, the evolution process of wool, to jute to flax and the machinery used and then gave them to people out with my course to study, they could have given me a different outlook. By using this gathered information wisely, the exhibition would have been one that was more than exhibitors had perceived, what with their lack of knowledge in this topic area. The simplistic views of those asked could also effect how detailed or basic the objects and information are on display. By using this theory in practice and adding another picture to the equation, this could result in a completely different response. The extra image could sway some people’s opinions of the actual “Jute” Industry and therefore a completely new approach to the full life scale exhibition. If I relate the image to the main production of jute in Dundee compared to an image of the production in Africa I think the African image would cause a greater response since the setting and context are severely different.
By observing people you can also gather enough source material to use as a form of research. Just like my own observations on the London underground this helped me experience the ways in which people go about certain things causing different effects. If I related this research method to the Juteopolis brief I could find out more about the way in which people move around and exhibit spaces. I would look at how people in groups or on their own enter and leave the space. I would also study what sections interest certain people, what age ranges seem more curious and enthralled, and what type of people like to study the objects and others the text. The ways in which people move around is equally important, as is any other method. More so for this project, this method I believe would probably become most successful. The observations made could help decide positioning and the orientation of objects within a space. The best possible layouts for socialising, looking at work, presenting the objects and access routes could come from this study.
Interviewing I thought would be the most effective since you, yourself are asking specific questions you want answered. However from participating in this myself there are many different ways of interviewing people, each with their own pros and cons. Avoiding closed questions means the data you receive will be more successful in finding out what you want to achieve from your questions. If I was to use this method, I would probably start off at a number of exhibitions asking people about what they see, how does this layout suit their tastes, does it help to show off the work, or does it take you on a set course taking away the unpredicted journey round the space. By asking them about the full experience they had from the moment they entered till they leave it can give you almost everything you need and would have bee a great help. If I was to then use this method to speak maybe to workers who previously worked in the mills and staff working at Verdent work to explain their experiences or stories.
Now if I were to look into Secondary Research and how I could have used these techniques to source data then the response would of course be different compared to the use of Primary research. When looking back into first semester the first method we looked into was summarising complex information and then presenting this in the form of a mind map. By using this form I was able to branch off into a more detailed description of the specific topic. Now If I were to relate this to the studio brief then the data would probably have been of vast quantity, a diverse amount of responses to the topic and new outlooks of the brief. I think the range of ideas would explore the topic well enough, that your final outcome of the exhibition space would be one that represents Juteopolis well, as all avenues would have been considered or explored.
Brainstorming itself helps to break down certain topics but can also help you make connections out with the area you are looking into. For our second assignment, into Secondary research we found that design can be linked to so many other disciplines. Using this principle, this task is will give you a vast amount of detailed research. This would have been useful when designing for the Juteopolis project and would have saved me a lot of time during the researching process. Discussing the project with other classmates may have obtained the same benefits. As well as the standard method of researching, cross search gave us the resources on hand to investigate our own chosen topics. This could have givens us all the research needed to obtain specific information.
With Thanks :
Verdent works - http://www.rrsdiscovery.com/index.php?pageID=130
