Social Scripts are ritualized social behaviors that help us navigate through life. They can range from complex falling in love or success stories to fast ‘micro-scripts’ like saying “excuse me” as you reach past someone in the grocery store. That seems like nothing but there is a complex set of ritualized actions and counter actions. Next time you’re in that simple interaction watch what people do. The complex predictability is astounding.
Comment by Erik Kondo
This video shows the power of social scripting and conditioning. The young woman walking down the ally saw what happen to the man ahead of her. Yet, she continued down the path with only the additional action of giving the young men a wide birth.
What more evidence do you need that a group of approaching teenagers is very dangerous other than seeing them launch an unprovoked attack on an innocent victim? What else would it take for this woman to turn around completely avoid these men.
Awareness is only half the issue. She was aware of the threat. But her awareness was not enough to break her out of her social conditioning of continuing on her path as she always does.