The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, Volume 10In this classic book published in 1959, Goffman analyses interpersonal interaction and how individuals 'perform' in order to project a desirable image. When a person is conscious of being observed by an audience one will observe certain rules and social conventions, as failing to do so means losing face and failing to project the image/persona they wish to create. The person's behaviour will be different in a private environment, however, as no performance is necessary. This performance as ?self presentation?, considering that it provides us with a way to form new identities and thus convince ourselves we become an enhanced person. One of Goffman's key arguments is that individuals have both expressions that they give and those that they give off. In the case of the former, impressions that the individual intends to produce are communicated, but with the latter, impressions that were not intended to be given are received by the audience. People try to manage the impressions they give-off in order to ?fit in? to society. Goffman also considered more-established metaphors such as the mask as a means for deception in face-to-face interaction. |
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - bokai - LibraryThingThe thesis of this little book came close to "No shit, Sherlock" territory for me. We perform our roles in life to convince the people around us that we are who we say we are. What makes the book ... Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - jorgearanda - LibraryThingA generally engaging and broad exploration of the ways in which we attempt to define the situations we live in by how we present ourselves and by how we treat others' presentations of themselves to us. Read full review
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accept action activity allow American appearance attempt audience back region backstage become behavior called character claims communication conceal concerned considered convey course definition doctor dramaturgical effect employed establishment example expect expressive face fact familiar feel follow fostered front function give given guests illustration important impression individual interaction interest involves keep kind less look maintain manner means observe occur one's organization participants particular patients performance Perhaps persons play position possess possible practice present projected reality refer regard region relation respect response role routine secrets seems seen sense serve Similarly situation social society someone sometimes staff stage standards status suggested taken talk task teammates tell tend things tion treat types University usually