Daniel Lewis

Developmental Psychology

I recently visited the Northridge Mall for the purpose of observing the behavior of a
variety of people from separate age groups. These specific age groups included young children,
preteens, teens, young adults, middle-aged adults, and seniors. Moreover, the subjects observed
were of various ethnicities and could be seen engaging in various activities. Furthermore, some
of the subjects were visiting the mall alone, while others could be seen interacting as part of a
group. After careful observation and analysis, I identified a number of factors- including age,
gender, purpose for visit, group size- that shaped and influenced the behavior of the subjects.

The first group of subjects I observed was the elderly, which covered the age range of
approximately 65 and above. Clearly, their age influenced their conduct, as most acted in a
docile manner and spoke sparingly. For example, during my observation, one elderly subject
didn’t even say a word, but simply sat, sipping a cup of coffee. Such passive behavior did not
seem to be influenced by gender, for this man’s wife also sat silently and calmly. There also
seemed to be a connection among the behavior of elders, their ethnicity, and their group size.
For example, Asian seniors tended to be in larger groups, which seemed to consist of their
extended families. A possible explanation for this is the common Asian tradition of always
making sure an elderly relative is accompanied by another family member. These seniors also
seemed interactive with their younger group members, and they conversed openly, and at times
were even animated. By contrast, seniors from other cultures such as Hispanics or Caucasians
were mostly found in couples and were quite inactive and spoke little. The majority of the
elderly subjects appeared to be at the mall for the purpose of accompanying others, and
shopping, so most were found in stores, or just walking with their companions.

The second major group of subjects I observed was the middle-aged adults, ranging from
age 40-65. Most of the middle-aged adults could be found as part of a family, which very often
included small children. The fact that the middle-aged subjects were responsible for their
children seemed to influence their behavior. For example, they behaved cautiously, never losing
focus on their children for more than a few seconds at a time. Furthermore, their need to look
after their children required that they move slowly but alertly. The middle-aged subjects without
children, by contrast, appeared much more relaxed in their behavior, and they spent most of their
time shopping casually inside stores or “window shopping”. These subjects could usually be
found in couples, including husband-and-wife groups, and with friends of the same gender.
Ethnicity did not seem to be a factor influencing the behavior of middle-aged subjects. Members
of all ethnic groups conversed openly and warmly with their companions as they shopped. The
only exception involved how members of different ethnic groups responded when their child
acted up. One Caucasian woman simply ignored her child’s outburst and continued shopping,
while an Asian subject reacted to her child’s rambunctious behavior with a quick slap to the
child’s hand.

The next group of subjects I examined was young adults, ranging from 20-40 years old.
The women of this age conversed freely, whether in couples or part of a larger group. They
moved quickly and eagerly, which most likely reflected their enthusiasm for shopping. Women
who shopped with others seemed to have covered the most ground, and they could be spotted
frequently in a number of different shops. Men of this age group were usually either alone or
with a female companion. Their behavior was reserved and somewhat lethargic, which I
conjectured was a result of their indifference to shopping. Groups of people from this age
category consisted of three of four subjects at most. They could sometimes be found at the food
court, eating and drinking, engaging in animated conversations with expressive hand gesturing.
Again, ethnicity did not seem to be a factor influencing young adults, as there were no specific
distinctions that could be made.

The next group I observed was the adolescents, whose age ranged from 13-19. These
adolescents appeared to be at the mall to socialize with their friends, with shopping being not as
big of a concern. Adolescents were rarely found alone, and members could be found in large
groups from five to fifteen people. Their boisterous behavior was sometimes too rowdy, and
they spoke loudly, laughed uproariously, and roughhoused and/or flirted excessively. They spent
a considerable amount of time eating, and meals were shared, and table manners were sometimes
indecorous. No definitive conclusions could be drawn regarding ethnicity and adolescents.
Although there were sometimes smaller groups that seemed to be composed only of members
from the same ethnic group, these were matched by a similar number of ethnically mixed groups.
The larger adolescent groups also tended to reflect ethnic diversity.

A much smaller group observed was preteens, consisting of subjects from about 10-12
years of age. Their behavior was rather awkward and stiff, as though they were uncertain of how
to behave in a public setting. Most were found in the company of adults who brought them
along for the purpose of shopping. There were a few, however, that were part of a group of older
kids. Those preteens that were not in the presence of adults acted boisterous and even rude, as if
they were trying to emulate the behavior of their adolescent friends. There was a larger number
of preteen girls than boys, and subjects of this gender seemed to be more mature and poised in
comparison to their boy counterparts. This might of reflected the earlier development of girls
than boys. Ethnicity influenced the behavior of preteens who were with their parents, and would
be, obviously, with group members of the same ethnicity, while preteens without parents would
be in more ethnically diverse groups.

The final group observed was children, ranging from age 4-9 All of these subjects were
accompanied by adults. These children tended to be very active and animated, and they seemed
determined to explore as much of the mall as they can. At times, this resulted in disciplining
responses from parents, as in the case of the Asian child already mentioned. The children were
usually at the mall to shop and eat with their parents, and they were never part of a large group.
Interestingly enough, there was one young child who was by himself. He was crying and
disoriented, and it was soon discovered that he was lost. Girls of this group tended to be more
mature and composed as they accompanied their parents shopping more willingly than the boys.
The ethnicity of children and parents shaped their interactions by how young children were
treated and disciplined.

My observations allowed me to draw a number of conclusions regarding human behavior

within a mall setting. Specifically, my conclusions varied based upon the interplay of such
factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, and group size. As a person progressed through life, their
behavior changed drastically as the factors that influenced their behavior shifted. Young
children were first found in groups with their family, were very active, but varied slightly by
gender. By their teenage years, they would be in bigger groups, with mostly peers, have more
varied behavior based on ethnicity, but still remain active. By their senior years, most of their
energy would be gone. They would be found in probably the calmest state of human life.
Finally, the question arising is whether such observed behavior is specific to a mall setting, or
can be applied to other environments, with such factors like age and ethnicity being universal,
and others specific to a shopping environment.