PlaySpent

After completing the PlaySpent exercise, what are your reactions? Detail your decisions and why you chose to do what you did. For example, what job did you choose?  why? Did you choose health insurance? Why/Why not? What living arrangements did you make? Why?  What other circumstances affected your living expenses for the month? 

What is your reaction to this exercise? What struggles/issues do the American poor face that keep them from moving up in social class? 

http://playspent.org/

Criminal Justice in NJ

Visit the following 3 websites. Respond by 8am on Thursday with at least 3 general questions you have about the criminal justice system, NJ laws and procedures, or local topics and interests. 

• NJ Department of Corrections

• Bergen County Sheriff's Office

• New Jersey Judiciary 

Suggestions: 

• NJDOC: various prison facilities in NJ, escapes, offender search, and careers in corrections
• BC Sheriff's Office: Most wanted, county jail, probation dept, various programs (youth/family)
• NJ Judiciary: jury info, court info (by county)

Post your questions as a comment by 8am Thursday 3/21. 

Taboo Responses

After viewing the episode of Taboo, what are your reactions? In a paragraph, respond to the following questions here by Monday 3/18 at 8am

• Choose 1 deviant behavior depicted in the episode
• Describe the behavior, it's value in that culture, and why it is taboo to us
• Describe the sanctions associated with the behavior (are they positive? negative? How so... How are the sanctions based on culture? In the US how would we sanction this behavior?)
• Overall reaction
• How did your ethnocentrism affect you?

Video Link: Taboo (National Geographic): Signs of Identity

"Signs of Identity | National Geographic Channel: Marks of identity are not always about the art. In Japan, tattoos mark criminal gangs. In Canada, "branding" tests courage."

VIOLATE SOCIAL NORM- Individual HW

After your group has agreed upon your social norm violation, you will interact with 2 different people and break the norm. Write 1 paragraph per interaction, addressing the following points for both interactions.

1. Describe the setting
• Physical- when and where is the norm violation taking place?
• Social- How many and what types of persons are observing?
2. Describe the incident- tell what happened
3. Summary & Interpretation

• How did you feel as you were violating the norm?
• Why did you feel the way you did?
• Did people react the way you expected?  Explain.
• Did you encounter any difficulties in carrying out your assignment?
• What, if anything, did you learn about how norms exercise social control?
• Any other pertinent observations.

Posts due by Monday 3/11 before class

VIOLATE A SOCIAL NORM- Group Post

GROUP POST

As a group, agree on the social norm you will break from one of these 3 categories

1. dress/attire
2. behavior
3. language

1 person from each group should write up the following:

1. Group members names (First name, list initial)
2. Define norm you will violate. Describe how/when you will violate.
3. Why is this norm important/how is it used as a mechanism of social control? 
4. Hypothesis: What possible reactions might you see? What do you predict will be the major reaction? 

Group Post due by end of class Wed 3/6