Sociology Ch.6
Supporting Identity: The Presentation of Self
Forming Impressions of Others
Social Group Membership
We typically begin social interactions with these culturally defined conceptions of how people from certain
social groups are likely to act, what their tastes and preferences might be, and what values and attitudes
they are likely to hold
Provides the necessary backdrop to all encounters between people who have little if any prior knowledge
Physical Appearance
The way people dress and decorate their bodies communicates their feelings, beliefs, and group identity
oThese impressions can also be influenced by our cultural background
Is Beauty Only Skin Deep?
oContemporary research confirms that physical appearance affects our perceptions of others.
oOften assume that good-looking people possess other desirable traits, such as sensitivity, kindness,
strength, and sexual responsiveness
Or spoiled and not intelligent
oResearchers found that unattractive defendants were 22% more likely to be convicted and, if
convicted, spend an average of 22 months longer in prison than their better-looking counterparts
Cornell students given criminal profiles and categorized as unattractive or attractive
oUnattractive workers suffer discrimination
Ugliness is usually associated with evil and fear
Physical attractiveness is still a more salient interpersonal and economic issue for women than for men
Emphasis on physical appearance devalues a person’s other attributes and accomplishments
At the institutional level, it plays an important role in the nation’s economy by sustaining several
multibillion-dollar enterprises, including the advertising, fashion, cosmetics, and weight loss industries
Sizing People Up
People are likely to judge an overweight person as lacking in willpower and as being self-indulgent,
personally offensive, and even morally and socially unfit
One study found that mental health caseworkers were more likely to assign negative characteristics (ex. too
emotional, unhygienic, engaging in inappropriate behavior) to obese patients than to thin patients
Another study, physicians showed more warmth and empathy in their conversations with normal-weight
patients than with obese patients
Negative perceptions of obese people are not universal
oIn Niger, begin overweight – ideally with rolls of fat, stretch marks, and a large behind – is
considered an essential part of female beauty
oIn Botswana, fatness is equated with female fertility
One study found that the risk of disordered eating increases for African American women who have a
strong desire to assimilate into the dominant white culture
oPower of cultural beliefs in the formation of self-concepts
Verbal and Nonverbal Expression
People’s movements, postures, gestures, words provide cues about their values, attitudes, sentiments,
personality, and history
Managing Impressions
Impression management – process people attempt to present a favorable public image of themselves
Erving Goffman – sociologist most responsible for the scholarly examination of impression management
oPortrays everyday life as a series of social interactions in which a person is motivated to “sell” a
particular image to others
Primary goal of impression management is to project a particular identity that will increase the likelihood
of obtaining favorable outcomes from others in particular social situations
oCan strategically furnish or hide information
Goffman argues that impression management is not just used to present false or inflated images of
ourselves. Sometimes our actions may be misinterpreted
“Embodied cognition” – argues that what we wear can actually change how we perform
1
Supporting Identity: The Presentation of Self
Forming Impressions of Others
Social Group Membership
We typically begin social interactions with these culturally defined conceptions of how people from certain
social groups are likely to act, what their tastes and preferences might be, and what values and attitudes
they are likely to hold
Provides the necessary backdrop to all encounters between people who have little if any prior knowledge
Physical Appearance
The way people dress and decorate their bodies communicates their feelings, beliefs, and group identity
oThese impressions can also be influenced by our cultural background
Is Beauty Only Skin Deep?
oContemporary research confirms that physical appearance affects our perceptions of others.
oOften assume that good-looking people possess other desirable traits, such as sensitivity, kindness,
strength, and sexual responsiveness
Or spoiled and not intelligent
oResearchers found that unattractive defendants were 22% more likely to be convicted and, if
convicted, spend an average of 22 months longer in prison than their better-looking counterparts
Cornell students given criminal profiles and categorized as unattractive or attractive
oUnattractive workers suffer discrimination
Ugliness is usually associated with evil and fear
Physical attractiveness is still a more salient interpersonal and economic issue for women than for men
Emphasis on physical appearance devalues a person’s other attributes and accomplishments
At the institutional level, it plays an important role in the nation’s economy by sustaining several
multibillion-dollar enterprises, including the advertising, fashion, cosmetics, and weight loss industries
Sizing People Up
People are likely to judge an overweight person as lacking in willpower and as being self-indulgent,
personally offensive, and even morally and socially unfit
One study found that mental health caseworkers were more likely to assign negative characteristics (ex. too
emotional, unhygienic, engaging in inappropriate behavior) to obese patients than to thin patients
Another study, physicians showed more warmth and empathy in their conversations with normal-weight
patients than with obese patients
Negative perceptions of obese people are not universal
oIn Niger, begin overweight – ideally with rolls of fat, stretch marks, and a large behind – is
considered an essential part of female beauty
oIn Botswana, fatness is equated with female fertility
One study found that the risk of disordered eating increases for African American women who have a
strong desire to assimilate into the dominant white culture
oPower of cultural beliefs in the formation of self-concepts
Verbal and Nonverbal Expression
People’s movements, postures, gestures, words provide cues about their values, attitudes, sentiments,
personality, and history
Managing Impressions
Impression management – process people attempt to present a favorable public image of themselves
Erving Goffman – sociologist most responsible for the scholarly examination of impression management
oPortrays everyday life as a series of social interactions in which a person is motivated to “sell” a
particular image to others
Primary goal of impression management is to project a particular identity that will increase the likelihood
of obtaining favorable outcomes from others in particular social situations
oCan strategically furnish or hide information
Goffman argues that impression management is not just used to present false or inflated images of
ourselves. Sometimes our actions may be misinterpreted
“Embodied cognition” – argues that what we wear can actually change how we perform
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