Social Theme Paper - Roseanne

Facial expression and body language show a great deal about people.  It not only shows their attitude and mood, but it shows what they let in their life and what they give to others.  Social themes also give good insight on the way a person acts.  It is interesting to see how a person’s social themes relate to their attitude, behavior, and surroundings.  Roseanne is a good example of a person living in poverty. 

Roseanne is a sitcom about a woman and her immediate family living on a low income and dealing with everyday life issues.  For this sitcom I will be addressing the inequality between the wealthy and the poor, and the stereotypes that come along with it.  During the episode I will be discussing Roseanne’s sister, Jackie, deals with her boyfriend getting into an altercation with Roseanne’s husband, Dan. 

The opening scene shows Dan walking out of his living room with handcuffs on and two officers escorting him out.  Roseanne shuts the door after him and starts talking to her sister and children.  As she talks to them their expressions turn surprised and sad.   She is scrambling around the house to find money, and then gives it to her daughter.  Once her daughter, Darlene, takes the money and listens to what her mother has to say she gets a surprised look on her face. 

While Dan is in the jail cell the officer, who appears to be his friend, slips him a bag.  They both look very discreet as they look around to make sure nobody is looking.  Darlene comes into the jail house an walks up to Dan as he is turned away from the door.  As soon as she speaks he gets an upset look on his face.  Once she gives him the money he motions his hand for her to leave.  When Roseanne walks into the house both her and Dan start dancing with excitement. 

As soon as Jackie, Roseanne’s sister, walks in the room and says something everyone looks concerned and Dan looks upset.  Dan and Jackie walk into a different room where Jackie starts yelling at him.  Then she starts crying and hugs Dan. 

 The paper boy comes to the door and hands Dan a paper.  He looks frightened and runs away.  Dan yells something and slams the door.  Roseanne and Jackie are in the kitchen having a dramatic conversation.  Their body language shows that they both have an attitude and are either upset about something or with each other.  Roseanna stands with her hand on her hip and her face projected forwards while she yells.  Jackie yells and shakes her head to show her attitude.  As the conversation goes on you can see that they are upset with each other.  They are pointing fingers and yelling at each other. 

Jackie and Roseanna go to someone else’s house and start packing things into a box.  A man comes in with bruises all over his face and starts talking to Jackie.  Jacking becomes upset when she sees him and starts arguing with him.  Roseanne gets angry when she sees him and yells at him.  Jackie continues packing what appears to be her stuff. 

Jackie sets down with an ashamed look on her face.  Roseanna yells at her and leaves.  Jackie looks at the man that appears to be her former or present boyfriend with a sad face.  She then opens the door and sees Roseanne standing there.  Jackie picks up a box and walks out the door past Roseanne.  Roseanne looks like she has a sarcastically happy look on her face and walks in the house.  With a proud demeanor she grabs the TV.  The man stops her from walking out the door and motions to her than it is not Jackie’s TV.  She drops the TV with a sarcastic apology expression.  Dan and Roseanne are in their bedroom getting ready for bed.  Roseanne is yelling about something and then shoes a very excited look on her face.  They both jump into bed laughing. 

The Conner family is living on a low income, making it easy for an audience to relate to them.  There is a correlation between those living in poverty and violence.  Dan has become violent with Jackie’s boyfriend, leaving him in jail awaiting his family to bail him out.  During the episode he showed no sign of resentment.  

Scientific Method Matrix

Research is a primary component of sociology. Valid and relevant sociological research is dependent upon a commitment to applying the scientific method in a systematic and organized way in order to ensure maximum objectivity and consistency in research. Complete the following matrix based on a social problem of your choice. The matrix will serve as a guide for creating a preliminary plan for the basic steps of the scientific method.

Scientific Method Matrix

Social problem Identify a social problem of your choice.	Many people are now setting in a room with their friends and family members, all of which are on an electronic device, checking their news feed instead of interacting with the people actually in their life at the moment.
Problem definition A problem statement is often written as a research question. Limit the problem statement to one sentence.  Example: Is going to college worth the time and money?	Are people spending too much time on social networking sites rather than interacting with people in their life?
Operational definition Develop operational definitions for two abstract concepts in the problem statement that you believe are measurable and subject to change under different conditions. Create the operational definitions so another researcher can understand and assess your definition of the abstract concepts. Limit your definitions to one sentence each. Example: For purposes of this study, schooling is defined as the ­­­­number of completed grade levels in public education institutions. For purposes of this study, pay off is defined as an increase in income level.	For purposes of this study, time is defined as a number that is ever-increasing. For purposes of this study, people are defined as a number of acquaintances or friends.
Literature review Conduct a short literature review of one peer-reviewed article pertaining to the chosen social problem. Include an APA citation of the article.	Blurred Boundaries is a journal article that talks about the burring of virtual life and real life.  These two are becoming more and more integrated with each other.  Boundaries that were once established become impaired when someone goes from their virtual life to their normal life.   Jones, B. (2009, Summer). Blurred Boundaries. Human Organization, 68(2), 181-193.  Retrieved on March 18, 2013, from ProQuest.
Speculative hypothesis Formulate a speculative hypothesis statement about the relationship between the operationally defined variables. Suggest how one variable is expected to influence the other. The hypothesis must clearly identify which variable you believe will predict or cause a change in the other—this is the independent variable—and which variable’s actions or change will be dependent on change in the other—this is the dependent variable.	When  a person spends more time on social networking websites, they are going to be more comfortable communicating with people on the internet, rather than in real life.
Independent variable Identify the independent variable (IV), which is the variable that you hypothesize will cause or influence the other variable.	Time
Dependent variable Identify the dependent variable (DV), which is the variable that you hypothesize will change due to the influence or presence of the independent variable.	People
Hypothesis Write the hypothesis in the form of an if–then statement. Example: If the grade level of schooling is related to the level of income, then a change in the grade levels of schooling (IV) will affect a change in the level of income (DV).	If a person spend too much time on social networking websites, then they will have better relationships online rather than in real life.
Major research design Identify the major research design—including the interview survey, questionnaire survey, observation, experiment, and existing sources—you would use to collect and analyze your research data and information. Explain why you believe this is the best research design for your research problem.	My research design would include the question, “Do you spend more than three hours a week on the internet,” which would be the interview survey.  The questionnaire survey would be, “When trying to contact a friend of yours, what is the method that you use the most?”  Observation would entail watching how people interact with each other on a regular basis.  This includes both online and in real life.  An experiment would be used to gauge someone’s personality both on the computer and in person, and compare them to each other. Is this person who they are coming across as on the computer?  The existing source that I have is “Blurred Boundaries” by Bridgett Jones.
Conclusion Suggest a preliminary conclusion to the problem based on the author or researcher’s information or results in the one literature review article. Limit the conclusion to one paragraph.	In conclusion, spending more than an hour a week on social networking websites than interacting with people in real life inhibits a person’s ability to socialize in real life.  This person’s identity as a person in the real world and as a person in the virtual world will overlap each other.  Not only their identity, but their norms.  Their life as a whole becomes different because of what goes on while they are online.  I believe that as the person learns to develop themselves online, they lose their ability to discern themselves in the real world.  Not only do they not see anything different about themselves, but they do not see a different in anyone that is caused due to social networking.  There are boundaries in real life that need to be respected and lived by.  Social networking websites do not have these boundaries.  A person can be completely conservative in real life, then get onto a social networking website and be completely different.  When they get off the internet, their two identities become blurred together.