The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life Erving Goffman

Summary

The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, a notable contribution to man’s understanding of himself, deals with the theme of human behavior in social situations and tip way that we appear to others. Dr. Goffman has employed as a framework the metaphor of the theatrical performance. Each man in everyday social intercourse presents himself and his activities to others, attempts to guide and control the impressions they form of him, and employs certain techniques in order to sustain his performance, in the manner of an actor presenting a character to an audience. The discussions of these social techniques offered here are based upon detailed research and observation of social customs in many regions.

This book, parts of which were printed as a monograph at the University of Edinburgh, has been considerably revised and expanded for its appearance in America.

“The perspective employed in this report is that of the theatrical performance; the principles derived are dramaturgical ones. I shall consider the way in which the individual in ordinary work situations presents himself and his activity to others, the ways in which he guides and controls the impression they form of him, and the kinds of things he may and may not do while sustaining his performance before them.”

Erving Goffman, Preface

Testimonials

“… one of the most trenchant contributions to social psychology in this generation.”

American Journal of Sociology

“… a brilliant piece, whose riches have to be directly encountered.”

American Sociological Review

“… a meaningful contribution to the main stream of conceptual thinking on the self.”

Psychiatry

Contents

1. Performances
2. Teams
3. Regions and Region Behavior
4. Discrepant Roles
5. Communicaction out of Character
6. The Arts of Impression Management
7. Conclusion