Goffman's Theory of Self-Presentation in Social Networking

Introduction: Goffman and Online Performance

Erving Goffman argued that individuals' performances are a representation of self. Individuals will often use their performances to create specific impressions in the minds of their audience. Online platforms make it possible for individuals to adopt different masks in different situations. This should, however, be done within the confines of the rules and conventions that govern the environment. This paper assesses how Goffman's argument affects organizations and how it influences collaboration in teams.

Performances Online and Organizational Reputation

Goffman explains that individuals' performances are a presentation of self (Bullingham & Vasconcelos, 2013). Individuals will therefore often use their performances to create specific impressions in the minds of others. When in a front stage environment, an individual is conscious of being observed by an audience; as such, they will try to perform in line with the social norms and expectations of that audience (Bullingham & Vasconcelos, 2013). The same is not the case in a backstage environment, however, where there is no audience to impress. Face-to-face interactions are a form of front stage environment, where an individual engaging physically with their audience is unable to mask or hide their real identity. In this case, the individual expresses exactly who they are (Bullingham & Vasconcelos, 2013). On online platforms such as Facebook, however, the physical detachment between the performer and their audience makes it relatively easy for them to adopt different masks in different situations. This essentially means that a performer is able to present themselves differently in online settings from who they are in real life (Bullingham & Vasconcelos, 2013).

It is possible for individuals to mask their identity cues — such as age, appearance, or gender — on online platforms, and to purposefully misrepresent these in ways that emphasize some qualities and conceal others. In other words, identity is typed into being on online platforms, and individuals are able to express multiple personae while hiding their real identities. This essentially means that it is possible for individuals to separate their work performances in the real world from their online performances. In the physical world, they are simply who they are; in the virtual world, however, they are able to post their best pictures, their most favorable updates, and their most charitable moments, so that they appear better or stand out more than they do in real life.

This ability to "change face" in online performances is generally permitted. What people do on their personal blogs and social media profiles may have no effect on their work performance or the organization as a whole, provided such actions remain within the rules and conventions of the organization. However, an organization's reputation could suffer if individuals violate those rules and conventions in their online performances (Bullingham & Vasconcelos, 2013; Keyes, 2013). For instance, organizations expect their employees to conduct themselves in an ethical manner both inside and outside the workplace as a way of preserving a positive public image. When an employee posts inappropriate content on their social media profiles — such as photos or commentary associated with unprofessional behavior — the organization's reputation can suffer.

A relevant example involves a police officer who made himself the subject of an internal affairs investigation after posting an image on his personal social media profile that was deemed inappropriate in his professional context. Questions were raised as to whether the officer's employment ought to be affected by a personal post. There are strong reasons to conclude that it should. First, although the officer posted the image on his personal profile, it reflected his perceptions and beliefs in ways that cast doubt on his ability to maintain impartiality in his professional duties. Moreover, as a member of the police force, the officer represents the public face of the service. What he does in his personal life affects the public's perceptions of the police as a whole. As such, he ought to ensure that he presents a positive image in both his professional and personal lives.

This means that although individuals are permitted to "change face" in online performances, such performances ought not to contradict their professional values.

Team Collaboration: Online vs. Face-to-Face

Based on Goffman's dramaturgical metaphor, there is a meaningful difference between how individuals collaborate online compared to face-to-face interactions. That difference stems from the fact that online interactions, unlike physical settings, allow individuals to emphasize positive self-presentations while concealing negative or undesirable aspects.

On one hand, online platforms could be said to foster better collaboration among team members than face-to-face interactions. Since individuals are able to emphasize their positive qualities on online platforms, they can improve both their self-esteem (how they feel about themselves) and their self-concept (how they see themselves). In a study seeking to assess the impact of viewing one's social media profile versus looking at oneself in a mirror, Gonzales and Hancock (2011, as cited in Ellison, 2013) found that the former produced significant increases in self-esteem. The authors attributed this finding to the fact that virtual platforms allow individuals to post only those aspects of themselves that they deem desirable, enabling higher levels of self-esteem and self-appreciation. In a team setting, self-esteem enables an individual to fit in and to engage in effective knowledge-sharing with others. From this perspective, individuals may collaborate better in virtual settings than in person.

This may not, however, always be the case — particularly if the group is affected by the sucker and free-rider problems. The sucker problem arises when one or more individuals, often the most capable, are left to carry the bulk of the workload (Roberts & McInnerney, 2007). The free-rider problem, by contrast, occurs when one or more group members do little or no work, thereby contributing almost nothing to the group's performance (Roberts & McInnerney, 2007). The combination of these two effects gives rise to a situation in which some team members (the suckers) take over the project while others (the free-riders) virtually disappear. This typically undermines the group's ability to perform at its highest potential.

On the other hand, since everyone tends to over-represent themselves on online platforms, some individuals may develop feelings of inferiority, which can inhibit effective collaboration. Social comparison theory postulates that the perceived social attractiveness of one's peers impacts perceptions of one's own social attractiveness (Ellison, 2013). An individual who compares themselves unfavorably to the self-promotional content of their team members may experience feelings of inadequacy or low self-esteem, which can in turn affect their ability to relate and collaborate with others. This dynamic would be less likely to arise in face-to-face interactions, where people present themselves more authentically and are less able to conceal their imperfections.

Taken together, individual online performances can have both positive and negative effects on collaboration within teams.

References

Bullingham, L. & Vasconcelos, A. C. (2013). The presentation of self in the online world: Goffman and the study of online identities. Journal of Information Science, 39(1), 101–111.

Ellison, N. (2013). Future identities: Changing identities in the UK — the next ten years. Government Office for Science, UK.

Hauberer, J. (2010). Social capital theory: Towards a methodological foundation. Prague: Springer.

Keyes, J. (2013). Enterprise 2.0: Social networking tools to transform your organization. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Roberts, T. S. & McInnerney, J. M. (2007). Seven problems of online group learning (and their solutions). Educational Technology and Society, 10(4), 257–268.

Wright, K. B. & Webb, L. (Eds.). (2011). Computer-mediated communication in personal relationships. New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishers.