Erving Goffman is probably one of the most important sociologists in relation to the self. His book-The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life--remains an important book in this field. Goffman's approach is sometimes referred to as the dramaturgical model.

1. impression management

Central to Goffman's concern is his notion of impression management. In this, he argues that all social situations or 2 or more people involve attempting to persuade others of your definition of the situation. If, for example, you are buying a stereo, the salesperson is attempting to construct a definition of the situation that will suggest that you need to have this high end and pricier product because you are a discerning individual with good tastes, while you are tyring to construct a definition which suggests that while you appreciate good music, you also have financial considerations--but you don't want to look too cheap either. So it becomes somewhat of a struggle.

Impressions are managed within contexts: settings, such as comediens, magicians, professors, preachers, each of whom works in particular settings.

Also important is our personal front: sex, age, hair style, clothing, etc.

We may in fact alter these things to suit the situation, for example, a young doctor trying to look older for patients.

2. front stage, back stage

The front stage of our life performance occurs in situations in which we interact with others in public or professional settings. A waitress, for example, will try her best to keep a cheery disposition while she is dealing with customers, even cantankerous ones, and even if she isn't feeling well, whereas she may go back to the kitchen and talk about those cranky whiny customers. This would be somewhat more back stage behaviour. The most back stage behaviour occurs in one's home environment where you can stretch and "be yourself"

3. self presentation motives

1. achieve personal goals
2. present a consistent and positive view of our self to the world
3. conform to social norms

4. situated identities

A situated identity is the self that can be identified with the role one is currently playing. They define us in reference to the role we are playing at a given time. We need to have our identity situated before we can proceed in an interaction. If you confuse a customer with an employee in a store, the interaction is confusing until the situation is clarified, and the roles are properly identified.

Here is where impressions, including first impressions, come into play, as they can situate a person's identity.

5. accounts: excuses, & justifications

Accounts are statements that people provide to explain a behaviour that was unanticipated or improper. Two types of accounts:

Excuses: attempt to lessen responsibility

Justification: an attempt to suggest that the behaviour had some positive outcome.

6. self enhancement

Any attempt to inflate our credentials, statuses, etc.

7. ingratiation

Any attempt to alter the situation through

a. flattery
b. agree with others beyond your true beliefs
c. do favours
d. falsely present self to others in favourable light

8. self awareness

When our attention is focused on the self, we talk in terms of self awareness. We do this within our private self--that part of the self in which attitudes cannot be preceived by others.

The public self is that part which is given away by our mannerisms and behaviours.

People differ to the degree to which they are self aware, and the consequences that this entails.

9. self monitoring

Once we become accomplished actors, we get better at self monitoring so that we become more attuned to the reactions of others and adjust our behaviour accordingly, and on the fly.

Hi self monitors are very aware of their social situations, and pick up cues.

Lo self monitors are the opposite.

10. Self Disclosure

This is the degree to which we release information about ourselves to others. By controlling this information, we can influence to some extent the impression we convey to others. There are three dimensions to this:

Breadth: sharing superficial information in a lot of areas-when we meet people at a party

Depth: sharing a lot of information in a limited area of our life-interacting with someone special

Intimacy: sharing fears, sorrows, secrets, and things that could make us vulnerable to loved ones and close intimate friends