Erving Goffman's dramaturgical theory and the performance of social roles

Social Order: Institutions, Socializations, And the Performance of Social Roles

Erving Goffman dramaturgical theory is a seminal theory in the field of sociology. An example of "micro-sociological analysis," it forced sociological analysis back into the examination of things which actually exist, individual behavior, instead of mere concepts. Goffman demonstrated that the examination of real things can not only clarify existing lines of thought, but open up new avenues for the study of social behavior. Thesis: Through his emphasis on the individual's performance of social roles, Goffman demonstrates that, although social organization and dynamics do influence individual behavior, it is the individual herself who determines the final shape of this behavior.

Summary of the Theory

Erving Goffman's work, often classified as "symbolic interactionism," is highly valuable for the study of socialization and the performance of social roles. Erving studied how individuals used symbols in the performance of their social roles and how their performances appear to others. (31). Erving was interested in the many techniques individuals develop in order to "manage their social identities" for the purpose of gaining acceptance, approval, and support from their society. (31). Goffman called this the "dramaturgical analysis" because of the element of performance inherent in the individual's presentation of self in society. (31).

It is exemplary of the school of micro-sociological analysis micro-sociological analysis distinguished by three key characteristics. Micro-sociologists emphasize face-to-face social interaction between individuals instead of the workings of the social system as an abstract entity. (29). They also emphasize the meaning individual actions over the social function of those actions. Finally, they emphasize lived experience rather than abstract concepts. (29).

For Goffman, the self is merely a peg upon which "something of a collaborative manufacture will be hung for a time.'"Goffman calls this the "social" self that operates in the service of society. The "social" self consists of an array of different masks or "fronts" that the individual constructs according to each situation. (49-50). The mask is actually the "truer self, the self we would like to be." (48). The individual will typically try to highlight the positive aspects of himself as well as behave in a manner which is appropriate to the social context and will gain social approval.

Key Concepts and Theoretical Strategy

Goffman explains social behavior and social relationships by focusing on the actions of individuals and the reasons for those actions. The behavior of these individuals is self-consciously designed with their society's, other individuals', expectations in mind. According to Goffman, the individual's performance of social roles, and the manner in which others interpret that performance, gives a society its particular form. In this sense, Goffman depicts each individual as a cog in the machinery of society.

Goffman analyzes social behavior at the macro-cosmic level from a micro-cosmic perspective. He does not attempt to explain society from the macro-cosmic level, as the Structuralists did. For example, he does not attempt to explain the structure of social relationships and the reasons for them by examining specific institutions, such as the church, state, or family. Goffman is more interested in explaining how these structures are cultivated and maintained by society's members after they are created. Thus, Goffman attempts to explain the operation of social structures by analyzing its cogs, the specific individual behaviors of society members.

Causal Relationships and Social Mechanisms

The Performance of Social Roles

Goffman's dramaturgical approach, particularly the concept of dramatic realization, explains the individual's performance of social roles within society. Through "dramatic realization," the individual highlights facts in order to express during the interaction what he wishes to convey. (49). He must present the aspects of his character which he believes is appropriate or relevant to that particular social context and his desired outcomes in that context. (50). The individual is attempting to perform a social role and this performance requires alterations of behavior, as the individual's role in society will often change according to circumstances. This leads the individual to behave artificially in a sense, as he feels compelled to emphasize certain actions instead of just behaving naturally. The process of dramatic realization

Internal Validity

Goffman's dramaturgical theory is concrete and generalizable. It gives a clear explanation for the behavior of individuals in society and can be generalized to explain the behavior of individuals in all societies. It is uncertain whether Goffman's theory is falsifiable. Certainly, one could run an experiment to observe whether an individual's behavior changes from one situation or another. For example, a subject could be given a personality test before being subjected to a number of different social situations and any changes in the personality, as represented by behavior, could be observed.

Observed changes in behavior would not prove or disprove the dramaturgical theory because it is concerned with the reason for such changes and the implications for our understanding of the individual and society. Goffman's theory is difficult to prove definitively because many of the processes that define his dramaturgical approach are subjective processes. They are contained in the myriad thoughts, intentions, desires, and doubts of the individual. Most of the reasons for the behavior, the thinking behind it, is not observable.

External Validity

Goffman's theory possesses great external validity. No matter how natural and principled a person considers himself, he will inevitably behave differently in different situations. That is, me must play a number of different roles in life, depending on the situation. If he is a father, he must be gentle and caring at home. However, if the same man is an officer in the army, he cannot be gentle and caring when he is carrying out his duties. Rather, he must behave in conformity with what is expected of an army officer, meaning he must be firm and commanding. This person has not become a different person just because he put on army boots, he is merely performing a different social role.

Conclusion

Goffman's dramaturgical approach is extremely useful for explaining the many discrepancies that occur between different instances of social behavior. This insight is useful for understanding divergent instances of social behavior in otherwise identical contexts. Goffman's greatest contribution, however, is the insight that it provides us into the notion of a true self as an entity which exists apart from its various conditions and social roles.