Summary SOC1001F exam notes: Goffman presentation of self (Ari Sitas)

Goffman presentation of self
The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life
 Book Erwin Goffman wrote
 First book that treated face-to-face interaction as a subject of sociological
study.
 Frames out the theatrical performance that applies to face-to-face
interactions
o Used to interpret social interactions
 Focus
o How an actor creates the impression they give to others
o Not a literal account of how an individual view themselves

The Self
 The meaning of the human organism established by
o Its activity
o The activity of others with respect to it
 Therefore what you do establishes who you are, not the other way round


Goal
 Avoid embarrassment
 Fit in
 Become socially accepted
 Adjust to the different settings offered him
 Impress your preferred image on others
 Done mainly through interaction with other people/actors

General idea
 Information about the individuals involved is both presented and
absorbed in every interaction
 Attempt to control or guide the impression that others might make of him
when making face-to-face contact
o By changing or fixing
 Setting
 Appearance
 Manner
 Person the individual is interacting with is trying to form and obtain
information about the individual
 Engage in practices to avoid embarrassment