Deviance Experiment

Deviance
Deviance is defined as any behavior, trait, or belief that violates a norm and causes a negative reaction within a group. Deviance, however, is based on perspective. Whether an action is deemed as deviant is based on the group, culture, location, time, or situation in which it occurs. To demonstrate, I will break a language norm by speaking Spanish in an English dominated city, Clovis. Specifically, this experiment will take place in a Trader Joe’s. I will also attempt “break” the norm at a Savemart in Madera, and compare the different reactions from Clovis. Many believe that I am white because of my skin color, however, that is not the case since I come from a Mexican family. I choose to perform this experiment because I have lived

I first began at Trader Joe’s on a Saturday afternoon. The store was filled with 20 or so people, not including my brother and I. As we walked in, we began loudly speaking to each other in Spanish. Immediately I noticed a women standing at the checkout line, glaring at us. She only stared and made no comment. We weaved through the aisles making conversation about the food as we passed by. To my surprise many of the shoppers seemed okay with us. Then there were those that were completely transparent; I could tell we were making them uncomfortable. We walked into one of the aisles and a man gave us a grumpy look, as if we just invaded his personal space, and moved to another section of the store. Another woman, and what I assume to be her husband, whispered to each other while making quick glances at us. Not only did the “normal” people feel uncomfortable but so did I. I didn’t enjoy being the only one speaking Spanish and neither did my brother. We both felt out of place, like we didn’t belong. No one had to explicitly say anything to us because their body language said it all; we were