Ethnography Of Communication

I’ve read an interesting article called “Don’t Tease Me I’m Working”. This article talks about how humor is important in small business and groups. The research was aimed to study humor as a way of communicating between members in a small organization. By using ethnography of communication, the researchers did fieldwork and interviews to discover how humor link coworkers together on a typical work day. According to Hammersley and Atkinson, “the researchers were interested specifically in humor in organizations and how it forms a particular way of communicating.” (p.g 285)
Also in the article, they explain researchers using ethnography of communication to discover the study through three simple step. Observation, selection, and reflection were
the three steps that were used. The researcher actively engaged with the members by interviewing them and siting with them in a group activity. The researcher wanted to see how they engage with each other with humor. As a group, they talked about how although some humor can be good, there are some malicious ways people can contribute. The researcher stated, “It depends on the time and mood and somebody’s mistakes.” (p.g 294)
The conclusion of the study, humor is very a necessary way of communicating used to diminish stress and a good way to bond the group. By the group members sharing laughter, it helped the them understand each other in a different way where they can bond. According to the researcher, “This is very healthy for the group in order to remain successful coworkers. ethnography of communication helps them describe communication patterns for particular cultures.” (Pogrebin & Poole pg. 294)