While systematically observing a social situation for approximatly one week, I have observed some common patterns of interaction and have rendered some possible explanations for these patterns of behavior. While there were some irregular observations, most of the behavior was consistent with that of my hypotheses. My research question involves the behavior of males versus females in the setting of a workout room or gym. I hyptohesized that males are more likely to interact with each other than females are, and males are more likely to use weights than females, while females are more likely to utilize aerobic activity machines more than males. All of these hypothesis will be further supported within the basis of my observations. My basic observation technique included using qualitative research methods and concentrating on how people interacted with each other, how they themselves acted, and how other people reacted to them.
This included using the participant observation technique where the researcher participates in the activities of the unit under study. All of my observations took place in both the Bream Wright Hauser weight room and the workout room. I chose to observe both of these locations because of the vari tey of people who could be observed and the type of people who used both of these facilities. In the Bream Wright Hauser weight room, there are three step machines, and a bike located along the left wall, and the whole right side of the room includes weight machines to work various parts of the body.
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In the middle of the room and to the back are the free weights and weight benches. This room includes mostly weights and very few aerobic machines. In the weight room, however, there are very few weight and an abundance of aerobic machines. One small corner contains weights and the rest of the room includes several step machines, bikes, and other aerobic machines.
One observation which I noticed was that while the Bream Wright Hauser room included predominantly males with a few females, including myself, the room contained all women and no men. I think this is owed to the contents of the room. Even in Bream Wright Hauser, the small number of women tended to use the aerobic machines. This leads me to one observation that the women are much more likely to use the aerobic machines than men.
Also, because there was not a single man in the room, I also concluded that men tend to utilize the weights much more frequently than the aerobic machines. The situation which I observed is located on the Gettysburg College campus in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The participants include men and women in the age range of approximatly 18 – 23 who constitute a social aggregate. The number of participants vary from night to night and depending on the time of the day in which the observation is taken. The characteristics of the participants also vary but include both men and women from mostly middle class, white backgrounds who come together for the common goal of physical fitness.
The patterns of interaction which I observed basically coincided with the statements in my hypotheses.
