Goffman - Performances

Goffman’s Dramaturgical framework laid the foundations for the study of micro-sociology, gave terms for different parts of everyday interaction and has provided an interesting metaphor with which to look at social interaction. The idea of front stage, backstage and off stage performance made a lot of sense when looking at the role of say a waiter. How he or she might behave when with a customer in the dining room is very likely to be different to how he or she will behave in the kitchen. It seems Goffman’s dramaturgical framework works very well when looking at very dramatic and enacted parts of everyday interaction.

I’m not so sure however, that other parts of everyday interaction are quite so rigid, in fact I would argue that sometimes parts people play in everyday life are sometimes quite fluid. For example, when a friend might interact with another friend, the first friend might enact motherly tendencies that don’t fit the social front or script that we might say shouldn't govern the situation. 

Even so Goffman’s contributions to sociology are unquestionable, his metaphor and/or framework have skipped over the effects institutions of power on everyday interaction. Maybe in an effort to sustain his dramaturgical metaphor or try and break down social theory at a purely micro level, Goffman decided that macro level institutions of power like democracy weren’t too important. Denzin (2002), suggests we need a free discourse that speaks to the forms of life and everyday interaction under neoliberal forms of democracy and capitalism in order to grow the study of social theories.

Denzin, N 2002,  ‘Much Ado about Goffman, American Sociologist, Vol. 33 Issue 2, p105-117, 13p.

Week 5 - Deference AND Demeanour

This week’s tutorial and last week’s lecture was based on Goffman's, The Nature of Deference and Demeanour.

Deference is an act and/or series of actions that based on the apparent 'rules of conduct', allow us to function in socially acceptable ways i.e. a compliment or an apology. Demeanour is the way the individual willingly or unwillingly presents themself to society, through behaviour or actions. Deference, Demeanour and the 'rules of conduct' bind together to lay a script for social situations. They are also subject to roles that have 'status position and power' which creates another layer of rules to social interaction.

An example of this would be the relationship between a nurse and a doctor. The doctor, while not the nurse’s boss is able to command the nurse to do something. Yet, it is not socially applicable for the nurse to order the doctor to perform a work task.

This elaborate scripted show is all to save the face of the self from action that cause embarrassment and shame leading to social death. What interested me most during the tutorial was that selves are so fragile. Since it is also true that whoever throws mud (slander that makes someone lose face) typically win means that the self is very much loaned to us by society. People typically don’t realise how integral social rules, and Goffman’s Demeanour and deference are to protecting the self. Those who suffer from Autism or Asperger’s who find social conventions hard to understand however, seemingly do notice and thus leave their selves exposed until they learn these conventions.


Reference
Wilson, T 2007,  'The Nature of Deference and Demeanor', Paper, accessed 23/08/2012, http://tommwilson.com/papers/the-nature-of-deference-and-demeanor.php