Essay on The 4 th Floor and Physical Environment

Submitted By Kong-Ying
Words: 1359
Pages: 6

Field Observation Assignment
Yueying Jiang
SOCI 1010 A Tutorial 5
Nov 10th, 2014

Research purpose
I would like to study about how physical environment unconsciousness influence among people and how theses physical environment influence social interaction. In library, I found that students in same floor are behave similar with each others but different from people in other floors. It is an interesting discover and I want to get the reasons of it.
Research question
What are the impacts of physical environment in Scott library and how they influence interpersonal behaviors?
Observation Method
I conducted an unobtrusive observation of Scott Library located at York University Keele campus. In order to have comparative data, I set the location in second and fourth floor which are friendly conversation zone and silent study zone. The observations were conducted on November 4th, 2014 at 2:30 pm which lasted for around 50 minutes and November 5th, 2014 at 10:30 am during 30-40 minutes on the 2nd floor; November 6th, 2014 from 2:30 -3:15 pm and November 7th, 2014 from 10:30- 11:30 on the 4th floor. I observed 4 times a week, recorded as handwriting notes and typed them to laptop as outline of assignment. The trustworthy of these was assured by observation results from two different zones for multiple times with highly concentration and careful notes. In fact, since the first year I came to York I start to study in Scott Library, each time I went there can be consider as a process of observation, so the observation of this report have taken "2 years long".
Results
There are two distinctive physical environment designed in second and fourth floor which have totally different impacts and social interactions. On the 2nd floor, there have colorful desks, chairs and sofas which can be moved easily. It is a open- space study zone which have a number of television screen and computes available in both sides and even on the corners. The biggest specialty of this zone are two glass walls which combine natural and artificial lighting to make the zone look brighter. There are nemorous printings on the wall and two red circle ladder in the central which provide a platform for students to have free discussion there. The behaviors recorded were people more likely to communicate with other in group. Students prefer to lay down on sofa or put their feet on chars. The body language of it are more relaxation and less pressure. Also, we can see student have their food with them everywhere. Many couple likely to study together in this zone as their romantic dating place. Second floor were mixture of emotions: confidence, passion and energy. The ways in which these behaviors affect the social interaction of physical environment were as follows: when a individual enhances their volume, others around this person speak louder unconsciously; when people do the postures like laying on sofa or putting their feet on chair, people tend to behave the same; once a student laugh, other people in group will follow.
Compare to 2nd floor, 4th floor have totally different physical environment. There are no window but many doors and cubicles as barrier to separate the space into multiple small zones. The color in this floor are simple in white, black and brown without decoration. All tables are match to one chair which can not be move. There are very tiny space available for each person and many bookshelves around. This layout conduct students to do individual work and keep focus. The body language like frown and cross-legged showed the atmosphere there are impatient restlessness and stressful. The same interpersonal influences are that people are easily to follow others actions and affect by others. In this zone, people are all keep focus and silent which are also interaction because when somebody do anything with noises others will wink a warning to them. However, when somebody do not focus and start watching video or checking Facebook, people