Presentation of Self Claim

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Erving Goffman’s Presentation of Self Claim Erving Goffman was a sociologist who studied and analyzed social interaction. He took special interest in explaining how people live their lives as if they were actors performing on stage. He looked at the world as if he were a “director” seeing what goes on in everyday life. He called this observation of the world dramaturgical analysis. He applied terms to this explanation, which include the concepts of status and role. He referred the “part in a play” as the status, and then the “script” is the role. His claim of presentation of self was used to describe “a person’s efforts to create specific impressions in the minds of others.” Goffman thought that when any individual is around others, they would try to “put on an act” or personify someone as to impress those around him or her. He implied several elements to his theory on self. We all have different performances in which we portray, or as Goffman would say “put on”. Our performances can include several aspects though, not just the way we act around others. The way we dress, the obje...

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