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Since I was drummed out of my old job and forced to be retire, I have been working hard at finding ways to get some extra money. One great way to make more money is participate in Market Research Focus Groups. I registered at every place in town that needs people for these studies and have gone to a different focus group every month or so.
They tell us to arrive 15 minutes early and nearly every market research company puts the people waiting for the focus group in a very small cramped room and shuts the door. We all sit in there looking at our watches wondering when the door will open and we will be moved into the conference room to start our 90 minute market research focus group.
OK, we are now 6-10 strangers put in a very small room with nothing to do but wait. You would think that people would make the best of it by chatting with each other and enjoy a brief opportunity to meet and interact with a fellow human being. We could talk about: how we happened to hear about the focus group, other market research studies we have been involved in, what companies are recruiting, the drive in, our families, our careers, the traffic or the cold weather this fall. BUT NO! The room is completely silent. When someone does tries to engage other people in conversation the other people look uncomfortable and quickly retreat to their SMARTPHONE. They seem to be saying, "WHY IS THIS MAN TALKING TO ME?"
I have attended about a dozen focus groups and the scene in the small waiting room is always the same. An incredibly ill at ease strange silence.
Why do people in this type of situation have such a hard time chatting? Why are we so afraid to talk to strangers? Everyone in the waiting room will be sharing a common experience at the focus group very soon. (It's not like a doctors waiting room)
...Why do people in this type of situation have such a hard time chatting? Why are we so afraid to talk to strangers? Everyone in the waiting room will be sharing a common experience at the focus group very soon. (It's not like a doctors waiting room)
Strikes me a very odd as well, especially as everyone knows that they are there for the same purpose and will be spending the next hour and a half together. Hmmm, I'd be Chatty Cathy all over and those peek n poke gadgets would really get a workout!
When someone does tries to engage other people in conversation the other people look uncomfortable and quickly retreat to their SMARTPHONE. They seem to be saying, "WHY IS THIS MAN TALKING TO ME?"
I've noticed this too. Sometimes people would rather check the time on their phone than to make eye contact and say hello.
However, if I do initiate a conversation and they don't interact much, they probably wouldn't have interacted anyway before smartphones. People analyze you and make a judgement about you in about five seconds.
There's probably some study out there that indicates that well dressed, handsome men and women are more likely to have longer spontaneous conversation in anonymous situations.
Oh well, that's the way it is. Things in life could be a lot worse.
I think that there is unofficial Group Silence and people are afraid to break it! It happens in elevators too. Market Researchers should look into this. I'm sure there is some way they can tap it into money for someone!!
Some people are not comfortable talking to strangers. OP's view of making the best of it in a waiting room is talking to other people. My idea of making the best of it would be to plan tasks in my head, check my email or read. I am not comfortable revealing anything about myself with strangers, so I don't like it when people ask me about my family, job, etc. My father used to "interrogate people" without noticing that it made some people uncomfortable. Some people like to talk to strangers, but some don't. Those of you who like to should try to respect people's boundaries. You can usually tell who likes to chit chat and who doesn't.
I wouldn't be "ill at ease"...I'd have my book...or Smartphone.
I love silence...and I dislike talking to strangers that have nothing to say
but boring stuff....I certainly don't want them asking me personal questions.
My mind...my thought time is a sanctuary for me, my Secret Place like in
Psalm 91...my inner world is unimagineable to most
..and I would never presume anyone wanted me to talk about quantum physics
and how we are 99.99999% empty space...and isn't it amazing how God is making our finger
nails grow at this moment....and everything we see is Illusion...
A warm, comforting smile and opening a door for someone is all I need do to
express God's caring in this situation....if they need to tell me
about their children I will put my book down and listen, kindly...bec they obviously need
to talk....so ok.
If I feel someone is ill at ease....I may ask them if they would like a magazine bec
I am getting one for me...that usually brings a little smile to them...that someone
cares about them.
If you noticed in my original post I bolded the fact that the waiting room was super small and I think that makes a difference. We were basically on top of each other so we were much more impacted by having no personal space. There is no books and the room did not get any service on people's SMARTPHONES. And unlike a doctors office we were all being put together for a common exercise.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn
I wouldn't be "ill at ease"...I'd have my book...or Smartphone.
I love silence...and I dislike talking to strangers that have nothing to say
but boring stuff....I certainly don't want them asking me personal questions.
My mind...my thought time is a sanctuary for me, my Secret Place like in
Psalm 91...my inner world is unimagineable to most
..and I would never presume anyone wanted me to talk about quantum physics
and how we are 99.99999% empty space...and isn't it amazing how God is making our finger
nails grow at this moment....and everything we see is Illusion...
A warm, comforting smile and opening a door for someone is all I need do to
express God's caring in this situation....if they need to tell me
about their children I will put my book down and listen, kindly...bec they obviously need
to talk....so ok.
If I feel someone is ill at ease....I may ask them if they would like a magazine bec
I am getting one for me...that usually brings a little smile to them...that someone
cares about them.
If you noticed in my original post I bolded the fact that the waiting room was super small and I think that makes a difference. We were basically on top of each other so we were much more impacted by having no personal space. There is no books and the room did not get any service on people's SMARTPHONES. And unlike a doctors office we were all being put together for a common exercise.
Well, if they still had their phones - they could still do "offline" activites - I use downtime to clear out my mailbox and edit photos. Compose emails to send later, etc...
I was hoping that once I started enrolling my daughter in activites and taking her to the park, I'd meet other local moms. But not so much - they are all glued to their phones. Even when we went to "mommy and me" type classes for very young children (like infant til 1yr) that REQUIRED parents to interact with their kids - 75% of the parents are off checking their phones....
I think this situation reminds me of living in Japan - the closer people get physically , the more you retreat into your inner space. Kinda like on a plane - The closeness makes me less likely to talk to the person next to me than more so....
Maybe you're participating in 2 studies, while only getting paid for one. Are there cameras in the waiting room? They may be studying group interaction prior to the other research project.
It's regional. In my world, I usually acknowledge others in an elevator, occasionally speak with others while waiting to see the doctor and always converse with prospective jurors while stuck in some court room. If I'm standing in a long line, I'll probably speak with those either in front of me or behind.
I try to remember not to chit chat with strangers while visiting my son in New Hampshire but I will never stop greeting a stranger with a smile and a hello.
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