🎭Intro to Performance Studies Unit 4 – Everyday Performance: Life as Theater

Key Concepts and Theories

• Dramaturgy views social interactions as theatrical performances where individuals play roles
• Impression management involves strategies to control how others perceive us in social situations
• Front stage behavior refers to actions performed for an audience, while back stage behavior occurs in private
• Symbolic interactionism emphasizes the role of symbols, gestures, and language in shaping social interactions
  • Meanings are constructed through social interactions rather than being inherent
• Performance of self involves presenting different aspects of identity depending on the social context
• Ritualized interactions are repetitive, patterned behaviors that reinforce social norms and expectations
• Breaching experiments deliberately violate social norms to reveal underlying assumptions and expectations

Historical Context

• Erving Goffman's 1959 book "The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life" pioneered the dramaturgical approach
  • Drew parallels between theatrical performances and everyday social interactions
• Influenced by symbolic interactionism, which emerged in the early 20th century
• Developed during a time of increasing interest in the social construction of reality
• Reflects a shift from macro-level structural theories to micro-level interactional approaches
• Builds upon earlier work in sociology, anthropology, and social psychology
• Responds to the growing complexity and diversity of modern social life
• Situated within the broader context of postmodern and post-structural theories

Everyday Performances in Society

• Everyday life is filled with countless micro-performances that shape social interactions
• Greeting rituals (handshakes, hugs) serve to establish and maintain social bonds
• Job interviews involve presenting a carefully crafted version of oneself to impress potential employers
• Classroom interactions between teachers and students are governed by implicit scripts and expectations
• Family dinners involve the performance of roles (parent, child) and adherence to social norms
• Social media platforms provide stages for curating and presenting idealized versions of the self
• Service interactions (restaurants, stores) are characterized by scripted exchanges and emotional labor

Roles and Identity

• Individuals perform multiple roles throughout their lives, each with associated expectations and norms
• Roles are often tied to social institutions (family, work, education) and cultural scripts
• Role conflict occurs when the demands of different roles are incompatible or contradictory
• Identity is not fixed but rather constructed and negotiated through social interactions
  • Involves both self-perception and the perceptions of others
• Stigmatized identities require careful management to avoid negative judgments and discrimination
• Identity work involves efforts to maintain, repair, or transform one's sense of self
• Role distance refers to the degree of attachment or detachment individuals feel towards their roles

Staging the Self

• Individuals use various props, costumes, and settings to convey desired impressions
• Clothing choices communicate social status, group affiliations, and personal style
• Homes and workspaces serve as stages for presenting the self to others
• Personal possessions (cars, phones) can be used as status symbols and identity markers
• Grooming and body modification practices (hairstyles, tattoos) are forms of self-presentation
• Language and accent are powerful tools for conveying identity and group membership
• Digital spaces (social media profiles, personal websites) provide new stages for self-presentation

Audience and Interaction

• Performances are shaped by the presence and reactions of an audience
• Individuals adapt their behavior based on the perceived expectations and judgments of others
• Face-to-face interactions involve a constant process of monitoring and adjusting one's performance
• Audiences can be real or imagined, present or absent
• Positive audience responses (laughter, applause) can validate and reinforce a performance
• Negative audience reactions (booing, criticism) can threaten or undermine a performance
• The anticipation of future audiences can influence present behavior and decision-making

Case Studies and Examples

• Goffman's study of a Shetland Island hotel illustrates the front stage/back stage distinction
  • Staff perform deference and servility in front of guests, but express resentment and mockery behind the scenes
• Hochschild's research on flight attendants reveals the emotional labor required in service roles
  • Attendants must manage their own emotions and elicit positive emotions in passengers
• Geertz's analysis of Balinese cockfights highlights the symbolic and performative aspects of cultural rituals
  • Cockfights serve as a stage for the enactment of social hierarchies and masculine ideals
• Goffman's examination of gender advertisements shows how images reflect and reinforce cultural norms
  • Women are often depicted as subordinate, submissive, and sexually objectified
• Bourgois' ethnography of crack dealers in East Harlem illustrates the performance of masculinity in a marginalized subculture
  • Dealers adopt exaggerated displays of toughness and aggression to maintain respect and status
• Nippert-Eng's study of boundary work reveals how individuals negotiate the divide between work and home life
  • Strategies include the use of separate calendars, keys, and clothing for each domain

Critical Analysis and Reflection

• The dramaturgical approach offers valuable insights into the micro-level dynamics of social interaction
• Highlights the active role individuals play in constructing and negotiating social reality
• Reveals the hidden scripts, norms, and expectations that shape everyday behavior
• Draws attention to the power dynamics and inequalities embedded in social performances
• Can be critiqued for overemphasizing the strategic and calculated nature of social behavior
  • Neglects the role of habit, emotion, and unconscious motivations
• Raises questions about the authenticity and stability of the self
  • Suggests that identity is fluid, fragmented, and context-dependent
• Encourages reflexivity and self-awareness in analyzing one's own performances and interactions
• Invites consideration of how social performances can be challenged, subverted, or transformed