Impression Management

Paper Summary:

This paper draws upon Erving Goffman's dramaturgical approach to discuss how several groups, including athletes, college instructors, parents, physicians and politicians, engage in "impression management." The paper explains that social interactions invariably entail a sort of "performance" in which we act in accordance with the pressures exerted upon us by environment. The paper illustrates how we put on a facade in order to achieve our personal objectives.

From the Paper:

"According to Goffman (1959), impression management is fundamentally about "expressive responsibility;" that is to say, it is about self-consciously crafting an exterior appearance that will not offend the sensibilities of the audience. In other words, social interaction is an act of dramaturgy in which we "perform" in accordance with the pressures exerted upon us by environment, the nature of our environment and with the goal of manufacturing "performances" that are "consonant" with our own desired goals (Barnhart, n.d.). To sum it all up, we put on a facade because we believe that doing so will enable us to gain the favor of those around us whose good will we need in order to achieve our personal objectives (like a well-dressed person speaking in proper English and with an upright posture at a job interview)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Barnhart, Adam. (n.d.). Erving Goffman: The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Sociology at Hewett. Retrieved September 29, 2006, from <http://www.hewett.norfolk.sch.uk/CURRIC/soc/goffman.htm>
• Collett, Jessica L. (2005). What Kind of Mother Am I? Impression Management and the Social Construction of Motherhood. Symbolic Interaction, 28(3): 327-347.
• Goffman, Erving. (1959). Chapter VI: The Arts of Impression Management. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Retrieved September 29, 2006, from <http://www2.pfeiffer.edu/~lridener/courses/IMPMGT.HTML>

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