Presentation of the Self PART 3

For Goffman's dramaturgical approach towards social interactions and the idea that every
action is in the form of a performance, there are 7 aspects of a performance.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Belief
Front
Dramatic Realization
Maintenance of Expressive control

I will be focusing on the last 3 parts:

misrepresentation
mystification
Reality & Contrivance

Misrepresentation
Interaction process of accepting signs/cues from sign-carriers
possibility of misinterpretation
Why do people misrepresent -> motives
-> accidental

Misrepresentation

shame
guilt
loss of reputation

There is a conflict between appearance and reality

It is difficult to measure character of a performance that are not tangible.
This results in the doubt of authenticity of the performance.
We look out for things during the performance that can be easily misled, e.g.
statistics vs. a person's body language
Authenticity is related to authority of performance, especially people with high status.
This has implications for the nature of reality.
Goffman explores several situations of people lying. There is the underlying assumption that
honest people are able to avoid being misunderstood. There are white lies vs. black lies. The
question of whether lying to protect feelings of someone vs. lying for material gain. Other
scenarios of lying may involve not revealing all information, e.g. advertising/mass media.
There are also other situations where being too honest is not preferred to responding based
on relevance, e.g. in politics.
While Goffman clearly shows that misrepresentation is undesirable, he also acknowledges
that there is an inconsistency with impersonation. There are different intentions for

impersonation, e.g. to gain sympathy. The law describes different descriptions of

misrepresentation such as intent, negligence and liability. Also, misrepresentation in groups
are different from misrepresentation in individuals and across different social classes. Also,
impersonation changes over time, e.g. illegal business.
On the other hand, all performances involve some kind of misrepresentation. Depending on
signs from audience, the activity changes into a representation that differs from the original
activity. A misrepresentation in a part of an activity extends to the whole activity.
While performances can be disrupted, it does not show that the performance is false. All
honest performances have the possibility of disruption, and the more important factor is
how the performance is expressed to protect misrepresentation of impression.
Mystification
If we take the idea that a performance involves some form of truth and concealment, a
performance can be disrupted based on inconsistency with reality. If a performance results
in loss of contact between performer and audience, this can promote the impression
maintained by performer, e.g. people in authority maintained physical distance.
There are also exceptions where it works in the reverse where ordinary people maintain a
physical distance between people of high status, and mystification is directed towards such
people.
The idealization of a person is separate from a persons imagination and this distance
prevents possible disruptions.
Simmel proposes a sphere of respect/honour around a person. Durkheim says that a
persons personality is sacred, but there is good in contact with other people. Mystification
results in more freedom to construct expression and the end goal is to create awe, in
contrast to shame.
Reality & Contrivance
2 models of behaviour

true
false

Goffman differentiates real and false with real being unintentional and non-self conscious
and false being purposeful.
Regarding what is real, we find a sincerity whether in terms of the quality of the message or
sincerity towards the role. There are situations which involve duplicate roles. This
demonstrates that appearance & reality are not intrinsic but reality can result from
management of appearances. Performances involve a spectrum of honesty and deception.
Therefore, honest performances are less connected to reality with the idea that anyone can
manage an appearance.
Psychodrama is a technique used in therapy where patients act out events in the past or the
switching of roles from the audience to performer.

Anticipatory socialization describes how we manage new situations and adapt it to reality.
Even for new roles, individuals have collection of past roles that they can draw from.
Goffman shows the importance of body language in the impressions of interactions. The
socialization process is spontaneous and not planned, but not so much on the knowledge of
interactions.
On a societal level, there are distinct features of different social classes to maintain specific
appearances. There are different social roles and status which is something possessed needs
to be expressed too. Some implications would be the fear of exclusion from conventional
social standards.
Conflict between
appearance and reality

shame

Present in all
performances

Misrepresentation

Ways in which
impressions can be
disrupted

Authority of
performance

Contact between
performer and audience

Mystification

Sphere of respect
around person

Idealization
separate from
imagination

new roles
Socialization process
body language
Real -> unintentional

Reality & Contrivance

False -> purposeful

mgmt of
appearances

How social roles are

possessed and expressed

student - Hamlet

Essence

More consistent

Accidents -

Natural self
True self -> when you are alone

In the absence of
people
True self

Substance -> Identity

What remains under all
this changes
SARTRE bad faith -> intentionally play out roles
consciousness
Double awareness

Object X
I as subject

I/me

Social roles

(Essence)
Contradiction self part of his roles