Society is a complex system that functions according to specific laws and models accepted at a certain time. The success of any interaction depends on the degree to which all parties understand existing traditions and follow the patterns viewed as necessary ones. Otherwise, there is a high risk of misunderstanding and failure. For this reason, the communication process is usually structured following the rules and specific expectations of another person regarding the models mentioned above. In other words, social scrips acquire the top priority and play the dominant role.
The term mentioned above can be determined in several ways. Thus, the social script is a commonly understood model of interaction that is traditionally used in typical situations to select the appropriate behavior (Cohen 238). Similar to specific language units employed in context, social scripts might also be employed to increase the chance for success during various interactions or attempts to build new relations (Cohen 238). At the same time, they differ regarding the epoch, dominant values, and perspectives on relations within the society.
The short movie “What to Do on a Date” introduces some examples of social scripts peculiar to the 1950s. The Interaction between Nick and Kay is based in terms of specific behavioral patterns typical for that period. First of all, the first date is organized regarding the existing representations. The date is initiated by a man, who is hesitant but supported by his friend, which can be viewed as a social script (“What to Do on a Date”). Furthermore, it implies going to some public meetings to avoid remaining alone during the first date and feeling awkward (“What to Do on a Date”). At the same time, a new date is planned to continue the interaction.
The short movie also shows how the social script for men and women differs. Nick is represented as the initiator of building new relations, which is typical for that period. He is also responsible for planning new dates and looking for possible options (“What to Do on a Date”). Finally, he should also ask the girl about her preferences to plan a new meeting (“What to Do on a Date”). At the same time, Kay is represented as a girl waiting for the man to take the initiative (“What to Do on a Date”). She waits for Nick to ask her and to organize a new date by learning about her preferences. These differences show the view of gender roles peculiar to that period.
In such a way, the movie represents a model of behavior typical for the 1950s. A young man should lead and ask a girl for a date to observe the existing rules. For this reason, the government, parents, and other groups encouraged teenagers to see the movie. It explained how to behave to avoid awkward situations and build new relations by following social scripts (“What to Do on a Date”). In case the given rules are disregarded, teenagers might feel ashamed and fail to build new relationships and create new families. For this reason, videos familiarizing the youth with the accepted behavioral patterns played an important role.
Altogether, the social script is an integral part of interactions within a particular community. It represents models and behaviors helping to increase the chances for success because of using approved patterns. The movie “What to Do on a Date” also represents some social scripts peculiar to that period. It was designed to help young people to build new relationships by following the introduced example and adhering to the most popular approaches and methods. A poor understanding of social scripts might result in misunderstandings and failures.
Works Cited
Cohen, Philip. The Family: Diversity, Inequality, and Social Change. 3rd ed., W.W. Norton & Company Inc., 2020.
“What to Do on a Date.” Internet Archive, uploaded by Coronet Instructional Films, archive.org/details/WhattoDo1950.