Running head: BOOK CARRYING OBSERVATIONS 1

Book Carrying Observations: How Students Carry Their Books

Running head: BOOK CARRYING OBSERVATIONS 2
Abstract
Students carry their books in different ways. Based on naturalistic observation, there seems to
be about five recurring styles with which they carry their books. This study was conducted in
an attempt to determine which of these distinct styles seem to be employed most often by
students, and also to compare the carrying preferences of men and women. The subjects
were observed in a school environment and were ignorant to their being observed for
investigative purposes. Therefore, it was not possible to control whether the subject observed
was male or female; fortunately, the number of male and female subjects observed by the end
of the study was similar. According to the observed data, men and women seem to generally
have different preferences in carrying styles. These findings beg the question of whether
these preferences are biologically determined, or if they were cultivated by societal
expectations or influences.













Running head: BOOK CARRYING OBSERVATIONS 3
Book Carrying Observations: How Students Carry Their Books
This study was an investigation of carrying styles utilized by male and female students at
Troy High School. It was conducted to determine and compare which of the five specified
carrying styles were employed most often by men and women.
Methods
In order to ensure that there were no changes in behaviour as a result of an awareness of
being observed, a naturalistic observational approach was employed. Subjects were observed
in a school environment, and were completely unaware of their being observed for
investigative purposes. The procedure itself was fairly simple. During a typical lunch period
at Troy High School, the subjects were observed at or around the cafeteria area: the area with
the highest concentration of students during the lunch period. When a subject was within
viewing distance, both the carrying style and gender of the subject were recorded. There
were five specified methods that students could have used. These methods were based on a
ten minute pre-observation of the most commonly recurring carrying styles. Method 1 can be
operationally defined as a carrying style in which the student holds the book parallel to
his/her body; the book is tucked under the arm. Method 2 can be operationally defined as a
carrying style in which the student holds the book parallel to the body without tucking it
under the arm. Method 3 can be operationally defined as a carrying style in which the student
uses both hands to hold a book out in front of his/her body, and support it with his/her
abdomen. Method 4 can be operationally defined as a carrying style in which the book is
carried with the elbow tucked into the side of the body; the carrying method is similar to that
of a waiter holding a platter, however, the difference is that one actually has a firm grip on
the book whereas a waiter would balance the platter on his/her palm. Method 5 can be
operationally defined as a carrying style in which the book is carried perpendicular to the side
of the neck, and is supported by top of the shoulder area.
Running head: BOOK CARRYING OBSERVATIONS 4
Results
There were totals of 25 observations for Method 1, 8 for Method 2, 9 for Method 3, 13
for Method 4, and 3 for Method 5. Of the 25 observations for Method 1, 16 were male while
9 were female. Of the 8 observations for Method 2, 5 were male and 3 were female. Of the 9
observations for Method 3, 5 were male and 4 were female. Of the 13 observations for
Method 4, 1 was male while 12 were female. Of the 3 observations for Method 5, 3 were
male and 0 were female. The most popular method overall was Method 1, with a total of 25
observations out of 58 total. The least popular method overall was Method 5, with a total of
3 observations out of 58 total. The most popular method for males was Method 1, with a
total of 16 observations out of 30 total. The least popular method for males was Method 4,
with a total of 1 observation out of 30 total. The most popular method for females was
Method 4, with a total of 12 observations out of 28 total. The least popular method for
females was Method 5 with a total of 0 observations out of 28 total.
Discussion
Based on the observed data, one can theorize that men and women have at least some
differences in terms of what carrying styles either prefer. However, the observations fail to
represent the human population as a whole. The observations were all taken at Troy High
School, which may or may not have had an influence on the results. In order to be more
representative of a larger population, one must make these observations at various schools
across the country, or even the world.