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Erving Goffman

The Presentation of Self In

Everyday Life

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Erving Goffman

We are all actors within the Social World, a centraltheme from Goffman work.

In a sense, we are call Fakers or engaged in a ConJob on ourselves to effect other people.

Goffman argues that the self is simply nothing morethan Self Presentations and Role Performances.

Social life as a theatre, with social scripts, performancesand actors & roles that perform in the Front and BackRegions of self.

The concept of depicting social life as a Theatre,Goffman developed the term Dramaturgy.

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Dramaturgy

What is Dramaturgy

Dramaturgy is Impression Management

Social interactions is like a stage, the self promotes scenery

Moreover, that scenery is divided into two regions, the Front andBack Regions.

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Regions

By definition regions may be defined as any place that is bounded tosome degree by barriers to perception

When we talk about the Dramaturgical Approach to the Social Worldthe self is divided by perception.

The perception of the Front Stage and Back Stage, also known

as the Front and Back Regions of Behavior

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Front Region

This Refers to a place where the performance is given.

In this regions the actor engages in, and performs his/hers role forthe audience.

While the Self is in the Front Region of behavior the performance ofthe individual embodies certain standards.

Standards of the Matters of Politeness and Decorum.

Matters of Politeness

Relates to the way in which the performer treats the audience whileengaged in talk or gestural interactions.

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Decorum

Refers to a set of behaviors that have to do with the way theperformer conducts himself in the visual or audio range of the

audience Decorum has two sub-groupings referred too as the Moral and the

Instrumental

1) Moral

Moral Requirements refers to rules regarding non-interference andnon-molestation of others.

Ex: Sexual Propriety, and rules regarding sacred places etc.

2) Instrumental Requirement Refers to duties that are task oriented and secular

Ex: An employer might demand his employees to care of property orengage in maintenance within work areas.

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Back Region

Def: A back region or backstage may be defined as a place, relativeto a given performance, where the impression fostered by theperformance is knowingly contradicted.

This area is where the suppressed facts make an appearance.

Here the performer can relax; he can drop his front, relinquishspeaking his lines, and step out of character.

It is here where illusions and impressions are openly constructed.

The back region is a place where the performer can reliably expectthat no member of the audience will intrude.

The back region or back stage is kept closed from the audience, the

entire region is meant to be kept hidden.Ex: Perfect examples of back stage regions are kitchens within

restaurants, this area is not meant for customers to enter.

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Transition

In between the Front and Back Region, there is a phenomenon

called the Zone of Transition Goffman argues that this is one of the most interesting times to

observe impression management

At these in between moments one can detect a interesting puttingon and taking off of character.

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However there is a Third Region

Apart from Front and Back Stage there is a third regionwithin the ideas of Dramaturgy.

This Region is called The Outside

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The Outside

The Outside region is a residual one, everything that isnot covered in the Front or Back Regions are in TheOutside.

Those individuals who are on The Outside of the social

interactions we may call outsiders. If we shift our considerations from the front or back

region to the outside, we tend to shift our referencefrom one performance to another.

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Discussion Question

If we take the Dramaturgical approach inan attempt to define The Self whatwould we conclude? And can we relate our

conclusion with the ideas from PostModernism?

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Impression Management

Impression Management implies that there are attributes that arerequired of a performer in successfully staging a character.

The Performer must Act with Expressive Responsibility

Expressive Responsibility

Illustrates the idea that actors must consciously choose the mannerin which they behave and interact with others

It is Imperative that the audience understand that a performer isActing his part and that is does not necessarily reflect thedispositions an individual may hold privately.

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However, What happens when an

actor makes a mistake andreveals true intentions of theperformance?

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The Answer to the Question: Is that Unintentional Disruptions canoccur.

Unintentional Disruption are a source of embarrassment and

dissonance for the performer, these disruptions are seperated intothree catagories, unmeant Gestures, inopportune Intrusion and fauxpas.

Unmeant Gestures These are inadvertent acts that convey an impression that is

inappropriate at the time.

The individual held responsible for contributing an unmeant gesturemay chiefly discredit his own performance

Ex:

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Inopportune Intrusion

This Occurs when an outsider accidentally enters a region in which aperformance is being given or when a member of the audience

inadvertently enters the backstage.

Ex: An example of this, is when a student walk into the classroomwhile the professor is giving a lecture. We have InopportuneIntrusion (this coming from the outsider approach)

Ex: Another example is when a customer runs into the kitchen of arestaurant where the chefs resides. We have another InopportuneIntrusion (from an audience approach)

Faux Pas

Def: As Disruptions in projections of the self These facts may involve well-kept dark secrets or negatively-valued

chacteristics that everyone can see but no one refers too.

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When such facts are introduced, embarrassment is the usual feeling

Ex: An example is when Raphael Palmero was conducting an interviewand a journalist bought up his use of anabolic steroids.

Gaffes & Boners

Are types of Faux Pas where a performer unthinkingly makes anintentional contribution which destroys his own team image

Bricks

Here, a performer jeopardizes the image of self projected by theother team.

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Discussion Question

If we are nothing more than Fakerswithin the social world, and assumingimpression management is how we

navigate through social interactions, thenone asks the question is society real?