Assignment 3 Proposal

Presentation of rationale

Peer Feedback

The feedback i received from tutorial was very helpful in helping me understand exactly what was needed for hand in. Also gave me a good idea of where i was going slightly off track in my own work, along with gaining a better understanding for my own activity.

Sensory experiment 3

Crossing at the lights : Routine

My third experiment I decided to take results from was changing a daily routine, which is crossing at the lights. I noticed not many people really cross at the lights, so in making them go to the nearest set of lights and wait till the signal it was interesting to see how people took it. Majority thought it was strange when they had the time to realise what they were doing, noticing all the small things like the smells and sounds around them. 

Sensory experiment 2

Running : Rebellion

My second experiment is simply running across the road instead of waking. For this experiment I had the same people cross the road as my other experiments and had them back to back how they felt. Trying to evoke a sense of rebellion during this experiment was my main aim, however I had 3 of the people tell me they quite often run across the road anyway.

The results were mixed and I felt this possibly was not the most appropriate experiment to use to show the environment in a different light.

 

Sensory experiment 1

Limited Vision : Rebellion

For my first experiment i will look at changing how we observe the surroundings in which we find associated with crossing the road. This will include altering the sense 'sight' which will provide a thought provoking experience as the person participating in the activity will experience an everyday activity in an altered way.In doing this i hope to create a rebellious feeling. This idea plays on the fact that crossing the road is something that each and every one of us grows up with, making it a mundane everyday activity. 

This experiment uncovered some interesting results and findings, mainly in proving how much we rely on all of our senses working in with each other. The people I used in my experiment again varied in age, from young kids in primary school to elderly, and in-between. This experiment included a pair of glasses, much like sunglasses which blocked out a certain amount of sight. In using these glasses while crossing the road, I hoped to take people out of the normal and make them feel uncomfortable, resulting in many doing rebellious things.

Project 2 - Sensory/Emotional experiment

Drawing on observations made in my sensory ethnography i have decided to follow on with the activity of crossing the road. For this project i will look at changing the environment, and altering senses to create a certain mood. These moods will be created by a number of experiments i will undertake in order to record some new findings in the hopes of revealing one of these moods; glamour, austerity, comfort, rebellion and routine. 

Sensory Ethnography Conlusions

During this project I have found some very interesting observations and feelings that are associated with an activity which is so mundane. The main senses that were observed were sight, smell and hearing as all three of these senses coincides with one another essentially and helps us get across the road. In my research diary I have used a number of different font styles showing the age differences, as this was an important part to my study. I found that age played a huge, if not the biggest role in the decisions we make when it comes to crossing the road, and that we are all influenced by the actions of others. 

Sensory Ethnography 5 - Joyce

My final observation is from Joyce, 80 years old.

Experience counts as the many years tower over the youthfulness of the rest. From an elders perspective, all senses combine to factor in the surroundings. Patience stands for safety as an over cautious conscience  steps in and stands ground. Seeing motion in fast forward, this is normal to an elderly lady who cautiously takes her time as she steps out to the edging of the hard cold road. She double checks both ways, and takes her path across the road being careful at every step, not to slip on the wet slippery road. As the traffic waiting for her drives on by, the echo becomes a distant noise which will appear again soon.

The stories i got from Joyce were almost more interesting than the observations, she told me about how roads used to be, without as much traffic around. The main thing she pointed out to me was she had no time limits for anything in her life, so she has no need to run across roads, she would rather be safe than sorry.

Sendory Ethnography 4 - Carl

My fourth observation came from Carl, he is 44 years old.

Matured to the facts with the knowledge to know better, with patience in hand waiting for the all go is the least of his worries. But perhaps this is a result of the past, a bad experience? Or maybe just setting an example for others around. Waiting for the signal and the road to clear, taking the time to make sure there are no hidden surprises. Listening for the green man to make his sound opening the metaphorical gates to the other side. Cars left, cars right, stopped, no movement except that of his own legs. 

As the age grows older, the wiser they get. What i found with Carl is that he didn't mind waiting for traffic to clear, compared to Holly, obviously the age gap is a big influence in this. Another thing he said was that he has 2 kids which he has to set an example to.

Sensory Ethnography 3 - Holly

Holly, 19 years old

Been there done that, seen it all before. Aware of the dangers, yet naive towards the consequences. To wait or not to wait, a mad dash across the road is alarmed by the sound of a car’s high pitch horn beeping. Car engines, sirens and peoples chatter and talk fills every inch of every street. A soft humming like noise rumbles through the streets as a large truck approaches, a gust of wind rushes through her hair sending shivers down her spine, followed by an ever dulling sound of the vicious rumble. The suspense after the storm.

The main things i noticed with holly, is that although she is 19, and old enough to know the dangers, she is still very naive to the dangers as she would quite happily j-walk in front of traffic. She too had connections to memories of her childhood, much like the younger boys, however hers was linked to noise.

Sensory Ethnography 2 - Harry

My second observations was Harry, an 8 year old boy

Our youth is filled with the moments which give us intimate links to certain feelings. Listening to the words of his elders is the key to this young boy’s safety. Innocent and fresh to the big bad world, all this bundle of energy can hear is the whistle of cars swiftly passing him by, followed by a gust of wind which shakes his stance. The smell of warm tyre rubber fills the crisp winter fresh air which hits his skin making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Heavy shoes, one size too big weigh his feet down tying him to the road as he crosses.

Harry too had similar observations and feelings to Wilson, which was expected.

Sensory Ethnography 1 - Wilson

My first observations came from a 7 year old, Wilson.

To the innocent eye, movement is constant. Close to the earth’s surface even the smallest of moves are noticed. The shiny paint finishes of the cars at the lights glimmer in his eyes. He is observant and waits by his mother’s side, without a full understanding of how much damage could be done if he were to run like it was a school playground. Checks left, glances right just like he has been told, he looks up to see nothing but a dirty car grill staring him down. Noticing the man just across the road walking out in front of a car, realisation sets in that the road is a dangerous place. 

The observations i gained from Wilson i thought were very interesting as it brought back memories from my childhood. Being so young and naive to the world

Sensory Ethnography ideas

After the first part of project one - the auto ethnography, i have chosen to continue with the context of crossing the road. The reason i have chosen this activity is because i believe this is something everybody does on a daily basis, but there are so many observations we don't take in or realize. I will take observations from people who vary in age, from young (7 years old) to older (80 years old), i believe this will give me a diverse range of results and recordings.

Auto-ethnography 3 - Strapping on my watch

My third autho-ethnography is strapping on my watch in the morning. This is an interesting activity to me because although this is something I personally do every morning, the cold nature of the strap reminds me I am doing it every time. To me, my morning shower isn’t what wakes me up before I head to class, it is putting on my watch that really wakes me up. The unique snapping click sound of the strap clicking into place that tells me it’s on properly the pinching of the hairs on my wrist, and the heaviness of the watch itself are all things you wouldn’t normally notice unless you really thought deeper into it. I think this is quite unique, and is something not everyone relates to which is why I have chosen to study further into this banal activity of my everyday life. 

100 word analysis 

The cold metal clatters as I lift the mechanism to my hairy wrist. I snap the clasp firmly into position and it ever so sharply pinches my hairs, sending a furious shiver up my limb as I shake the object off my hairs to fall into position.  The strap remains cold, bringing my senses to life. Fingering the glass face as I listen for the constant ticking that aligns my days into position; hours, minutes and seconds.  My arm feels heavy, dragged down by the weight of the watch as I place it on my arm.

Auto-ethnography 2 - Walking through gravel

My second auto-ethnography is walking through gravel. This also is something I believe is something that has become such an everyday activity, there is so much inner detail left unnoticed. When I see gravel I think dirty and relate my feelings to pain and discomfort, I link this to what I feel when I walk through gravel. I feel the uneven texture underneath my feet which gives me an uneasy feeling like walking on broken glass. The sound is like short bursts of noise much like an old tv searching for reception, also I think it is a very intrusive sound as it is loud and sounds like someone is walking slowly and uneasily. 

100 word analysis

I hear the rigid hard gravel traffic beneath my feet; a sharp tingle is dispersed through my spine. I feel pain and discomfort as I surge through the thick, dense layer of scattered rock. Every small step feels uneasy as I try to keep quiet, the gravel sounds and feels like broken glass, just waiting to pierce through my shoe soul as every step I take feels one step closer to pain. The uneven surface fails to secure my place on the rippled ground as I slip further into the gritty surface.

Auto-ethnography 1 - Crossing the road

My first auto-ethnography is crossing the road in a big city.  I chose this experience as I believe it is something that becomes second nature to us, and has become a mundane everyday activity.  When we cross the road, there are quite often more things we don’t notice than things that we do notice. Because crossing a road has become such a normal action I don’t think we realize the subtle, and usually unnoticed extremes of such a simple activity, all we take in to account is whether the road is clear and safe to cross, and where is best to cross.  I find this interesting because there are so many things happening at once, the sounds of everyday life, the cars, horns, people talking, the beeping of traffic signals alongside the smell of the cars, fresh air, food and trees, the crisp wind against our faces and in our hair.  

100 word analysis

My eyes are alerted by streams of bright lights flickering throughout the open city streets, as the distinctive soft sound of rubber meeting the road fills the dense winter air. Uncertain yet aware, my mind is lead astray as I swiftly glance left, glance right and step foot into unknown territory.  I feel the cold rain soaked road underneath my feet, all vision becomes a vast blur, and all I see is a stream of overpowering bright colours. A sharp beep followed the harsh sound of car tyres screeching is my only reminder that the road is unclear.  

  

 

Experimental Design Ideas - Sensory Ethnography

For the first project for Experimental design ideas i have tries to select 3 everyday activities which i think are very mundane to our everyday lives. I think it is interesting to observe the subtleties in activities that we do almost everyday as there are so many things we do not think about.

 I went out and wrote down a list of everything i do in a normal day, here are  some of my initial ideas for this sensory ethnography.

-Walking in the rain

-Walking through gravel

-Turning my alarm off

-Biting my finger nails

-Shaving my facial hair

-Drinking water

-Crossing the road

-Taking a photo

-Strapping on my watch

-Shaking someones hand

-Calling someone on my cell phone

-Texting

From this list i think i will look further into walking through gravel or in the rain, strapping on my watch in the morning and crossing the road, as i think there are a lot of feelings and emotions involving our senses that we don't take into account when we do these things.