Erving Goffman

The Presentation of Self In Everyday Life

California State University, Northridge

Erving Goffman

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

In a sense, we are call “Fakers” or engaged in a “Con Job” on ourselves to effect other people.

Goffman argues that the self is simply nothing more than “Self Presentations” and “Role Performances.”

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

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

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

and Back Regions.

Regions

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

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

The perception of the “Front Stage” and “Back Stage,” also known as the Front and Back Regions of Behavior

Front Region

This Refers to a place where the performance is given. In this regions the actor engages in, and performs his/hers

role for the audience. While the Self is in the Front Region of behavior the

performance of the 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 while engaged in talk or gestural interactions.

Decorum Refers to a set of behaviors that have to do with the way

the performer 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 and non-molestation of others.Ex: Sexual Propriety, and rules regarding sacred places etc.

2) Instrumental Requirement Refers to duties that are task oriented and secularEx: An employer might demand his employees to care of

property or engage in maintenance within work areas.

Back Region

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

This area is where the suppressed facts make an appearance.

Here the performer can relax; he can drop his front, relinquish speaking 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 expect that 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.

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 putting on and taking off of character.

However there is a Third Region

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

This Region is called “The Outside”

“The Outside”

The Outside region is a residual one, everything that is not covered in the Front or Back Regions are in “The Outside.”

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 reference from one performance to another.

Discussion Question

If we take the Dramaturgical approach in an attempt to define “The Self” what would we conclude? And can we relate our conclusion with the ideas from Post Modernism?

Impression Management Impression Management implies that there are attributes

that are required 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

manner in which they behave and interact with others It is Imperative that the audience understand that a

performer is “Acting” his part and that is does not necessarily reflect the dispositions an individual may hold privately.

However, What happens when an actor makes a mistake and reveals true intentions of the

performance?

The Answer to the Question: Is that Unintentional Disruptions can occur.

Unintentional Disruption are a source of embarrassment and dissonance for the performer, these disruptions are seperated into three catagories, unmeant Gestures, inopportune Intrusion and faux pas.

Unmeant Gestures These are inadvertent acts that convey an impression that

is inappropriate at the time. The individual held responsible for contributing an unmeant

gesture may chiefly discredit his own performanceEx:

Inopportune Intrusion This Occurs when an outsider accidentally enters a region

in which a performance 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 classroom while the professor is giving a lecture. We have Inopportune Intrusion (this coming from the outsider approach)

Ex: Another example is when a customer runs into the kitchen of a restaurant where the chefs resides. We have another Inopportune Intrusion (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.

When such facts are introduced, embarrassment is the usual feeling

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

Gaffes & Boners Are types of Faux Pas where a performer unthinkingly

makes an intentional contribution which destroys his own team image

Bricks Here, a performer jeopardizes the image of self projected

by the other team.

Discussion Question

If we are nothing more than “Fakers” within the social world, and assuming impression management is how we navigate through social interactions, then one asks the question is society real?