【Week 12.1 May 20 (Mon)】——Cheng Yating
1)
Summary
It
explains a sociological perspective that conceptualizes social interactions as
theatrical performances. This approach, developed by Erving Goffman, views
individuals as actors who perform roles in everyday life, managing their
expressions to create specific impressions on their audience. Key concepts
include the "front stage" where individuals present themselves
publicly, and the "back stage" where they can express behaviors and
emotions suppressed in public. Goffman
also discusses the "performance team," a group of individuals who
cooperate in staging a performance, and the importance of maintaining
"face," or social dignity.
2)
Interesting
The idea of "impression management," where individuals actively control the image they present to others. This involves manipulating settings, appearances, and mannerisms to influence how they are perceived. Another intriguing aspect is the distinction between front stage and back stage behavior, highlighting how people adjust their actions depending on whether they are in a public or private setting.
One
interesting passage from the text: "Goffman contends that front stage is
where the actor formally performs and adheres to conventions that have meaning
to the audience. This is a fixed presentation and has certain 'mannerisms' that
must be performed in a certain way. Back stage, however, is a place, relative
to the given performance, where the impression fostered by the performance is
knowingly contradicted as a matter of course." It highlights the clear
distinction between public and private behavior, emphasizing the deliberate and
often rigid nature of front stage performances compared to the more relaxed and
genuine back stage actions.
3)
Question
How do social media and online personas fit into the concepts of front stage and back stage behavior?
Comments
Post a Comment