1 Feb 2023

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Participant-Observation: Definition, Methods & Examples

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Academic level: College

Paper type: Essay (Any Type)

Words: 939

Pages: 3

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Introduction 

The environment under investigation in this paper is a fast food restaurant in particular McDonald’s. Generally, people do not think about the rules that exist in a fast food restaurant, but when looking around in a typical weekday, it is evident that people often act as if they have been trained on the role of a fast food customer. These restaurants see people, who act in a way that is common in terms of standing in line, then they pick their preferred items from colorful menus, the next step is swiping their debit cards in order to pay, and finally they wait to collect their food. After finishing their means, the customers then wad up the paper wrappers which they had used and then toss them in the garbage cans. The movement among customers in the fast food restaurant is usually predictable and orderly. Historically, the fast food restaurants have been in existence and have been useful in offering customers quick meals. A research by Melnick (2011) indicates that a majority of people who populate McDonald's include young men. In particular, the study identified the group as lower-middle class people who are the head of the household, and who are considered to be budget-conscious (Melnick, 2011) . 

How Gender Figure into the Dynamics of the Environment 

In many cases, a typical fast-food customer is a lower-middle income earner who is the head of a household. In most cases, the environment attracts people who are not only budget-conscious but also those who are harried and like the convenience of fast food. Often gender is related to the dynamics of the environment because as opposed to females, males are often not conscious of their eating behavior. The predominant reason for male favoring fast food restaurants is because they often enjoy the taste, find it economical and inexpensive, and usually have limited time. While analyzing a fast food restaurant it is clear that men frequent the restaurants more often than women. In the environment, men can be seen visiting it at least three times more than women. The gender dynamics in the environment indicate that women are more conscious about what they eat than men as they tend to eat more healthy food. The dynamics impact the functioning of the environment in terms of trying to attract and sustain customers who are more attracted to the restaurants. The fast food joints mainly concentrate on foods that attract the male gender. It means that the functioning of the environment revolves around satisfying the needs of its male customers. Considering the dynamics of the environment it is evident that there are limited traits that are related to the female gender such as risk aversion, perfectionism, conservatism, and the lack of self-confidence. It is noticeable the extent to which one gender experiences potential advantages as opposed to the other. Healthy living is something that has been identified in the exercise as being a contributing factor towards their choice of meals. 

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Experience of the Ethnographic Process 

As indicated above, the ethnographic process involved the systematic study of cultures and people. In particular, it involves the exploration of the cultural phenomena in a fast food restaurant where the researcher has the responsibility of observing the environment from the point of view of the subjects that were being studies. The process provided a good opportunity for better understanding the different genders and what contributes to their choice of meals. While conducting the research, the researcher found it easy to gain access to the environment that was under research. It is mainly because the fast food restaurant is usually accessible to the public. In addition, the workers in the environment were very welcoming and also interested in understanding the type of customers who mostly consume their products. 

While conducting the research, there are a number of assumptions that were made including the fact that the data from the restaurant that was under study applies to all the company’s branches around the country. It is also assumed that the data collected is accurate and objective. A close analysis of the operations of gender has made me understand that it is a crucial aspect of people’s lives because it not only affects their lives but also determines everything that they do. Gender defines how people behave and the choices that they take. Gender affects people’s understanding and beliefs of their surroundings. Gender also affects the way people see each other, for example in this situation, females are seen as being healthier than males. 

Conclusion 

Often people do not think about the rules that exist in a fast food restaurant, but when looking around in a typical weekday, it is evident that people often act as if they have been trained on the role of a fast food customer. It is also observable that there is the difference in the kind of people who visit the restaurants. Often gender is related to the dynamics of the environment because as opposed to females, males are often not conscious of their eating behavior. In addition, males often enjoy the taste, find it economical and inexpensive, and usually have limited time. From the exercise, the researcher got a good opportunity of better understanding the different genders and what contributes to their choice of meals. The researcher gained the opportunity to explore the cultural phenomena in a fast food restaurant where the researcher has the responsibility of observing the environment from the point of view of the subjects that were being studies. 

 

  1. References 

Melnick, M. (2011, 11 07). Fast Food’s Biggest Customer: Not the Poor, But the Middle Class . Retrieved from Time: http://healthland.time.com/2011/11/07/fast-foods-biggest-customers-not-the-poor-but-the-middle-class/ 

Quick Notes 

Restaurant- McDonals 

Male visitors- 5 3 

Female visitors- 20 

Routine 

These restaurants see people, who act in a way that is common in terms of standing in line, then they pick their preferred items from colorful menus, the next step is swiping their debit cards in order to pay, and finally they wait to collect their food. After finishing their means, the customers then wad up the paper wrappers which they had used and then toss them in the garbage cans. 

Reasons for fevouring the venue 

The predominant reason for male favoring fast food restaurants is because they often enjoy the taste, find it economical and inexpensive, and usually have limited time. 

 

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StudyBounty. (2023, September 15). Participant-Observation: Definition, Methods & Examples.
https://studybounty.com/participant-observation-definition-methods-and-examples-essay

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