Goffman's Dramaturgical Approach: An Analysis of Impression Management

This essay delves into Erving Goffman's dramaturgical approach within the symbolic interactionist perspective to analyze impression management. Using Goffman's metaphor of social interaction as a theatrical performance, the essay examines how individuals present themselves in various social situations. It analyzes two videos to illustrate Goffman's concepts, highlighting the roles people play, the front stage and backstage dynamics, and the intentional and unintentional expressions used to shape impressions. The analysis covers self-enhancement, ingratiation, and the distinction between roles played in public versus private settings, specifically within the context of a powder room as a backstage area where women can express themselves authentically, contrasting with the roles they perform in broader society.

Running head: IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT
IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT
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Erving Goffman was a sociologist who perceived society through symbolic interaction
perspective. Symbolic interaction helps explaining society with everyday behaviour of people
and the interaction taking place among them (Goffman, 2017). One of the approaches presented
by Goffman was Dramaturgical approach. The paper aims to discuss the concept of
dramaturgical approach that is a part of the symbolic interactionist in the social theory with the
help of contents presented in two videos.
According to Smith (2013), the dramaturgical approach is Goffman’s metaphor used in
order to understand social interaction. According to Goffman, social interaction can be
understood through the concept of the stage, a theatrical performance. Every individual is an
actor within the social work, and self is nothing more than self-presentation or simply
performing a role. People are continually performing specific roles that their social situation
demands. According to Jacobsen, (2017) the process that helps individuals conveying a
favourable impression of themselves is commonly called impression management. Impression
management is when an individual wants to present self in a certain way and acts in accordance
with the role of it.
Video 1:
(nv.instructuremedia.com/fetch/QkFoYkIxc0hhUU9UaEU4d2JDc0hzeTE1WEE9PS0tMjM0Nm
IyZTQwOGIwMjQxMjE5YWExZTQ2NDMzOTUzYzI3MzJjZWY2MA.mp4)
In this video, a woman and a man meet for the first time where they interact and tell each
other about themselves. Here, the stage is the situation, where the man wants to play the
character of someone who would be liked by the woman. He plays the role of someone who has
to say things about himself yet show equal interest in the woman. The woman presents her
characters being thoughtful of the ways the man may like. For both of them, the role they are

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playing is dominated by their desire of presenting themselves. They gave some expressions
intentionally such as the talks and their interest which would help each other making their image.
There are certain expressions that give off unintentionally which were less in their conversation.
Also, both of them are found doing self enhancement and ingratiation that which are tools that
help in making the image of self.
Video 2:
nv.instructuremedia.com/fetch/QkFoYkIxc0hhUU9UaEU4d2JDc0hzeTE1WEE9PS0tMjM0NmI
yZTQwOGIwMjQxMjE5YWExZTQ2NDMzOTUzYzI3MzJjZWY2MA.mp4
In the second video, Goffman’s Dramaturgical approach can be perceived coherently as
the women talks in the powder room. The powder room is a place where every woman, for a
while come and talk about anything they want which they usually cannot do in their house, office
or any other social places they belong. The powder room is the back stage and the outer world is
the front stage for the women who visit the powder room. As women, they are required to play
certain roles such as wife, mother, daughter, housewife and the profession they possess.
However, when they enter the powder room they play the part of being women without any other
role. The video shows the way women play their character in the social situations which is the
front stage, the live performance. In the backstage, they play the role that they genuinely feel
without any consideration of the social role that they need to play.

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References:
Goffman, E. (2017). Interaction ritual: Essays in face-to-face behavior. Routledge.
Jacobsen, M. H. (2017). Erving Goffman. In The Interactionist Imagination (pp. 195-232).
Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Smith, G. (2013). The dramaturgical legacy of Erving Goffman. The Drama of Social Life: A
Dramaturgical Handbook, 57-72.