Social Interactions
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Social Interactions
Erving Goffman developed a sociological concept of dramaturgy that uses a theater metaphor to explain human behavior. Humans use dramaturgy to influence others’ opinions and perspectives through impression management (Edgley, 2016). Impression management is goal-oriented, and it can be conscious or unconscious. Goffman believes that all social situations are manipulated by individuals to convey an explicitly targeted impression (Manning, 2017). The paper will take an in-depth look at how an individual may present different performance in different people.
In the workplace, the individual can use impression management to achieve employment or advancement (Manning, 2017). For instance, when dealing with the boss, an individual can manage their impression by including or excluding specific skills and traits in their resume to make them favorable for a specific position. In the classroom, the professor needs to know more about their students—for instance, the professor desire to know whether the students understand the concepts being taught. However, students may desire to project a positive impression to show their interest level in the class.
When interacting with our friends, if you want to give one a genuine compliment, you must make eye contact and smile. The two reinforce the compliment as opposed to looking elsewhere and being distracted while complimenting. Dramaturgy applies to a restaurant where the waiter behaves kindly and respectively in front of customers but might be casual in the kitchen while dealing with the workmates. Dramaturgy may be employed when dealing with your parents. When you need a favor from your parents, you may decide to do things that will make them grant the favor automatically. For instance, most parents will never allow you to attend a birthday party at night, but showing them you are responsible for yourself can help you win their trust. In conclusion, dramaturgy is essential as it shapes social interactions in society.
References
Edgley, C. (Ed.). (, 2016). The drama of social life: A dramaturgical handbook. Routledge.
Manning, P. (2017). Erving Goffman and Dramaturgical Sociology. Cleveland State University. ResearchGate.