Place (Setting): Supermarket
Characters: Shoppers and Shop attendants
Time Frame: 2 pm – 3.30pm Monday Afternoon
Background Information: I am researching human behavior as they undertake their daily routine especially at malls and supermarkets. The purpose of these observations is to note down the human behavior in a non-controlled environment and in public. Most shoppers have different behavior and reactions to the public domain. My observations will focus on the passive human behavior at the supermarket.
People Being Observed: Shoppers at a supermarket both male and female.
The shoppers at the time are of mixed race, gender, and age. The supermarket is half full but quite busy. The shop attendants busy helping the shoppers identify the needed items from different sections. Most shoppers exhibit a high degree of politeness. Most words used are “excuse me” “Kindly Assist” and “Thank You.”
It is evident that most of the shoppers understand and exhibit courtesy at a very high level. At one end a lady barely 30 years of age shouts “What the fuck! Who hiked the prices?” Cursing or use of abusive language by teenagers and the youth is common for shoppers who end up in the supermarket but feel extremely frustrated about numerous things in their lives.
At another end, a cashier asks a woman to kindly wait for the barcode to be confirmed: “Kindly wait as the attendant confirms the code from the shelves.” The cashier shows kindness, but the woman is clearly impatient and seems in a hurry. These actions are evidently explaining human tendencies to be impatient. Most shoppers exhibit this trait. No one is ready to wait an extra five minutes to receive better treatment. Therefore, the shop attendants are always on the run or using the supermarket communications systems to get the customers served better.
Thirdly, a different scenario where a boy smashes a glass from the shelves and bursts into tears “Mum! I didn’t do it.”
It is true that the baby did it, but the first instinct is denial and a defensive reaction. Children are known to be truthful but at this instance the child quickly decides to lie about the whole situation. In addition, the observation indicates that the child is either scared of the consequences of his actions or afraid of how the mother would react. These tendencies encourage babies to be liars and eventually engage in crime.
The supermarket employs modern technology and the shopper sin the mall are expected to make use of the facilities. However, some shoppers are unable to use the electric escalators and screens. One shopper ends up lost and could not find an item in the supermarket. However, a tall black man helps the elderly woman get to the shampoo that the lost woman was looking for. An act of love and kindness is seen from these actions.
Emerging Questions
What can be done to improve human interactions in public places?
Who should be in charge of creating awareness at the supermarket?
How should children be raised to avoid constant lying
What is the best language to use in public
Reflection
Human beings can be trained to understand the best language to use, what characters to exhibit and behavior that is acceptable in the public domain. The observation helped give an insight into the need to work on human behavior in public places.
