Thursday, May 12, 2011

Want to Understand Human Experience, Take the 3rd Rock from the Sun Approach

I’m sure I’m not the first to make this comparison, but I probably am the first to refer to it in about a decade…I was watching the very first episode of 3rd Rock from the Sun. You remember, the show with John Lithgow, Kristen Johnston, and a young Joseph Gordon-Levitt where a family of aliens from another planet come to earth to study humans. They take the form of humans and place themselves in a family situation with jobs, school, etc. The sitcom is driven by their discovery of how humans live – traditions, rituals, child rearing, education, humor – all of the things that compose our culture.

It dawned on me, that while their approach is comedic, it is an excellent anthropological approach for understanding the human experience. As anthropologists, researchers, and marketers, there are a few things we can learn from these goofy aliens:

Assume you don’t understand – Go in with an alien perspective and keep that perspective as long as you can. Take the approach that you are experiencing whatever it is for the first time. What are you curious about? What seems to stand out? Ask questions and dissect the pieces until you truly have an insider’s perspective.

Insert yourself – The way you will learn about the experiences of others is to experience it yourself, but keep that alien perspective while you are doing it. In anthropology we call this participant observation. Be part of as much as you can. If it means awkwardly inviting yourself to weddings, or over to someone’s house, you should do it (within reason of course). Which leads to my next suggestion.

Have no shame – There’s no place for shame in this exercise. There really are no stupid questions or requests. It might be humorous to those around you, but they will ultimately understand that your inquiries are part of a quest to truly understand their experience.

Partner with guides – Find someone who is an insider and make them your friend. When you earn their trust, they will share more with you and act as a gate keeper, getting you information or into places that you otherwise wouldn’t be permitted.

Have fun – Don’t take it too seriously. Human inquiry is a fun endeavor. Look at every new research opportunity as one to learn new things and have fun. Sure the joke might be on you, but in the end, nailing the human experience will be no joke. It will drive results for your customers and ultimately your business.

3 comments:

David Brassfield said...

The one aspect of the "3rd rock from the sun approach" that is at odds with the anthropological approach is the fact that they never explain to anyone that there is a mission to study humans.

I have always believed that hiding the fact that there is a study occurring would be a better approach than telling the group that they are about to be studied. By being told that you are being studied will fundamentally change the group dynamic.

Megan Bannon said...

That's a really great point. I appreciate that you brought up the ethics behind that decision.

In the show, they couldn't tell people that they were aliens because they would have risked being perceived as crazy, or they may have been taken away by the government for research purposes.

However, in real life (not sitcom life) we aren't dealing with those risks. While yes, the knowledge that you are researching can change behavior, I've found that over time people forget about that and just act like their normal selves.

Thanks for the comment!

Cory Wornell said...

While there are times to disclose, there are plenty of times when you DON'T announce that you are a researcher: Would you really stand up in a wedding before the bride walks down the aisle (or arrives in the culturally accepted norm) and announce that everyone should act normally DESPITE you researching them? Or, would you just go to the wedding and soak it in? Sometimes, living life fully where ever you are can lead to some great observations just based on who you are and - as an anthropologist - where your attention is drawn.

I love this article; "3rd Rock F/ the Sun" was one of my favorite television shows long before I had heard the word "anthropology"! I think it's a good way to approach research... Even to the extent that the aliens would make fun of what humans did based on their (the aliens') way of life and preconceived notions. It sheds light on the fact that it is nearly impossible for us to not (at least) compare what we find to what we are used to.