Essay Sample on Ethnography About People Behavior in Grocery Store

Introduction

Individuals` cultural identity does indeed have a significant effect on their behavior within a particular setting. Besides, such attitudes are reflected based on certain factors such as age and social status. The communication mechanism, however, varies depending on the environment. In order to ascertain whether this was the case, my fieldwork involved a critical evaluation of the behaviors of individuals within some specific environment. While undertaking this project I tried my very best to ensure that I was not prejudiced, despite the fact that I was well aware of the cultural setting within which the events were taking place. I chose Kroger supermarket for this particular study, which an exceptional grocery store located on SE Green Oaks, Arlington, Texas. I incorporated the results from 2 specific sessions of observations which were undertaken at different time periods. The first one was undertaken on February 17 from 8 am, whereas the second one took place on February 18 at 4 pm. With regards to the observations made, it emerged that currently, time is perceived as a precious commodity to a great majority of shoppers; besides, many individuals are also suspicious learners.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Summary of the Experience

When I get into the store, the first thing I observe is that the people working there are very friendly and, it is easy for anyone to establish a rapport with them. These employees appear willing to cater to all the customers` needs regardless of whether they are entitled to work in a particular section or not. They have a remarkable coordination which ensures that the customer will be eager to come back for more.

I walked into the sushi bar, which had been strategically placed in a manner such that customers could have a clear view of the store while enjoying their meal. Looking around, I noticed that the place looked deserted and the workers who are just about to complete their night shift were rushing to restock some of the empty shelves. Besides, the entire place appeared to be disorderly and it seemed possible for someone to trip owing to the boxes spread out across the floor. These attendees were hurriedly emptying the contents of the boxes on the magnificent shelves. This is appeared to be the ongoing activity on every aisle, with carts placed tactically at the front in order for them to be filled with the remains.

At 7:15 am, I noted a well-groomed gentleman walk in with a cheerful and welcoming demeanor which showed that he was a regular who is known to most of the workers. He chatted heartily with the lady at the Deli counter as he waited to be served though he appeared restless. He then walked to the chillers to pick a bottle of juice rather than waiting until his order had been catered for. Another shopper, a lady, walked in, obviously oblivious to what was going on. She appeared very confused and in a hurry as she unsuccessfully tried to decide between two meals. A few minutes later, a group of teenagers got into the store and it was almost obvious that they were just window shopping since they left without making a single purchase. Despite the fact that they were hanging out, their visit only lasted a few minutes.

At the sushi bar, the owner asked if there is anything I would like and I acknowledged the fact that I was just there to observe people as he jokily stated that I must be some undercover officer. I watch him getting down to his daily routine; cooking fresh rice as he marked down the previous day`s sushi. At 8:45 am, two Hispanic men dashed into the supermarket and one went to the water section and picked a 24 pack of bottles containing water as the other chose two bags containing ice. At 9:00 am, I summed up my field work for that day on my notebook, and realized that nobody had noticed what I was doing.

I expected to see more during my second visit. As I drove into the parking lot, I observed that all the spaces were occupied, unlike the case during the first visit. It took me up to 10 minutes to get somewhere where I could park my car. The first observation I made was that of a lady who was hastily loading some grocery in her car, but once she had finished, she never bothered to return the shopping cart. Instead, she left in a rush. This time around, the store was exquisitely decorated for Easter. Twelve pack soda packages had been displayed skillfully taking the form of a bunny face. This look was further complemented by the plastic Easter eggs which depict a treasure hunt. As I walked towards the counter, I greeted Lisa the cashier and she lamented that this was indeed going to be a busy week for her and she had no option but to assist since the store was shorthanded.

Walking down the bread aisle, one of the most remarkable observations I made this time was that of an old couple who seemed unsure of what they needed. I passed close by as the woman smiled, with the husband chiming "how are you, young man?" as I walked past them. They appeared not be in a hurry unlike the rest of the people I had initially observed. This conflicted with the contemporary culture whereby it always seemed as if everyone was in a hurry. Along the same lane, I came across a middle-aged lady who was picking buns for hamburger and hotdog. It appeared that she was on her last shopping spree in readiness for a weekend party. The next aisle offered me a glimpse of a businessman who was purchasing some red wine as he suspiciously looked at his phone in a manner that made it seem like he was doing some comparison to determine which wine was more suitable; he appeared to know what I was doing. He looked on and smiled in a friendly manner. It appeared that my actions did not startle him at all. As I was musing over this, a Hispanic man grabbed a six-pack stationed next to me and walked away as fast as he had appeared.

What surprised me was the unsettled Asian man who was standing close to the water lane with empty jugs. It was obvious that the machine was not working and he motioned me to come to that section. When I got there, I pushed some buttons and said that it was not functioning. He began complaining asking me when I was going to fix it, and only then did I realize that he thought I was the technician. But when I told him I was just an ordinary shopper, he left swiftly looking very distressed. As I watched him, a lady asked me to assist her load a 32 pack of water in her cart, which I readily did. She then thanked me and left immediately. Close by, I could also observe two ladies who were chatting as a disconcerted couple sought to walk through the blocked path; though they continued standing there until they the couple requested to be allowed to pass. In addition, two children were playing next to the candy section and their mother scolded them threatening to take them out of the store immediately. I also watched as workers put up additional Easter decorations, and as I saw, one of the individuals looking at me suspiciously after noting that I was writing down something in my notebook. I then walked towards the sushi store as the owner called out towards my direction, "officer". This was a way of extending his previous joke. He then asked how he could assist me as I got into the store.

A Combination of Both Fieldworks

My observations from both field works were very generic. Despite knowing quite well that the current American culture has embraced a behavior whereby individuals appear particularly concerned about the time duration they take to complete a particular task, I chose to disregard this and carried out my observations with a neutral mind. Also, regardless of the fact that my fieldwork may differ from that of others owing to the differing cultural backgrounds, my observations were detailed and reflected a true picture of the American way of life. The haste associated with contemporary life whereby almost every individual appears to be a ticking time bomb is bound to permit dishonesty which may in turn result to moral decadence within the society. For instance, the lady who finishes loading her groceries off the shopping cart and into her car justifies her behavior by appearing to look as if she was in a hurry. There is no justification for unwarranted behavior and this appears to be what the current cultural attitudes are promoting.

It is the high time that people come to the realization that there is ample time to undertake every activity. All that one requires is to plan sufficiently ahead of every endeavor. It is good to keep time, although this should not be done at the expense of committing injustices. The group that I happened to admire the most is the old couple which appears to take their time while shopping at the grocery store. It may appear that they were advancing the same cultural behavior that was existent when they were younger. During that time, people did not necessarily have to rush yet they managed to fulfill all their obligations in time. Presently, people appear to be copying the behaviors inherent within the society and can, therefore, not be blamed for adopting such actions.