Urban strangers can avoid situational incompetence by avoidance and instruction.

Evidence

As discussed earlier, the modern city does provide many opportunities for getting involved in situations where one does not know how to act. It is such a· hodgepodge of persons, worlds, and life-styles that no one’s childhood socialization could possibly be adequate to every situation. Nevertheless, as we have seen, this built-in infirmity may largely be neutralized by the simple expedient of avoiding those places for which one is unprepared. And should there be some perceived change in the overall city situation, the modern urbanite can be pretty sure that there will be plenty of people around telling him what to do now. — Lyn H. Lofland, World of Strangers_ Order and Action in…, 653

Categorization

• DEFINE: Introduces the concept that a built-in infirmity of urban life — inadequate childhood socialization for every situation — gets neutralized by avoidance and by abundant instructional discourse.