LA PRESENTACIÓN DE LA PERSONA EN LA VIDA COTIDIANA - Conceptos claves de la obra de ERVING GOFFMAN

Introduction to Societal Themes

In this section, the speaker introduces the theme of societal topics, focusing on analyzing key concepts from contemporary sociologists and thinkers who have explored 20th-century societies.

Understanding Erving Goffman

• Erving Goffman, a prominent sociologist, authored "The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life," emphasizing the presentation of individuals in society.

• Goffman's work is accessible and engaging for a wide audience, not limited to sociologists.

• His book is around 280 pages, offering valuable insights for readers of various backgrounds.

Erving Goffman's Background

• Goffman, born in Canada in 1922 and passing away in the US in 1982, is recognized as the father of micro-sociology.

• He focused on studying interactions within small groups rather than large-scale societal structures.

• His notable work "The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life" was published in 1959 and translated into Spanish in 1981.

Key Concepts Explored by Goffman

• Goffman delves into how individuals project themselves within socially organized spaces like factories or homes.

• He distinguishes between intentional self-presentation and non-verbal cues that convey information about individuals.

• Non-verbal communication plays a significant role, often overshadowing verbal communication according to psychologists.

Impression Management by Individuals

• Individuals aim to create specific impressions through their actions and non-verbal expressions.

New Section

The section discusses how individuals present themselves to others, focusing on controllable and uncontrollable aspects of communication.

Individual Presentation Dynamics

• Individuals tend to present themselves favorably, with others perceiving their communication in two parts: manageable verbal assertions and less controllable expressions emitted.

• Communication asymmetry exists as individuals are aware of one stream of communication while witnesses perceive both streams, aiding in detecting lies or discomfort.

• People aim to control the impression they give off, utilizing techniques to manage perceptions through verbal and non-verbal cues.

New Section

This part delves into the concept of performances by individuals and the implicit requests made to observers during these acts.

Analysis of Performances

• Individuals performing roles implicitly ask observers to take their presentation seriously, believing in the portrayed image.

• Actors may either believe in their acts (sincere) or show indifference towards audience beliefs (cynical), impacting the authenticity of their performance.

New Section

The discussion shifts towards societal roles and the inherent need for individuals to manage impressions within various social contexts.

Societal Roles and Impressions

• Every individual plays different roles in society with associated norms shaping behavior across roles like parent, spouse, friend, or employee.

Understanding Human Behavior in Different Environments

The transcript delves into how individuals behave in various settings, emphasizing the importance of controlling one's environment to convey specific impressions and maintain a sense of security within a team.

Individuals' Behavior in Performing Tasks

• Individuals often express task characteristics rather than personal traits when cooperating to perform a routine.

• Movements during service provision reflect expertise and integrity, shaping the perception of the task being carried out.

Controlling the Environment for Natural Interaction

• Natural interaction within a team necessitates controlling the environment where activities occur.

• Examples include doctors dispersing cancer patients throughout a hospital to prevent them from inferring their condition based on surroundings.

Significance of Environmental Control

• Regulating elements like reservations in a hair salon through fake names maintains order and facilitates breaks.

• Control over the environment instills a sense of security within teams, fostering effective collaboration.

Behavioral Patterns in Different Social Contexts

The discussion shifts towards exploring behavioral norms across diverse social contexts, highlighting how individuals adapt their conduct based on societal expectations and environmental cues.

Adherence to Social Norms for Work Performance

• In work settings, employees are not only expected to meet productivity quotas but also simulate diligence when necessary.

• Behaviors such as feigning attention or engagement are common practices observed across various institutions.

Displaying Expected Behaviors in Specific Settings

• Historical examples illustrate how individuals tailored their behavior to match societal standards; e.g., aristocratic women pretending leisure during work hours.

• Scenes from movies humorously depict societal norms dictating appropriate conduct based on location and audience presence.

Distinguishing Behavioral Regions Within Environments

The concept of distinct behavioral regions within environments is explored, elucidating how individuals modulate their actions based on spatial divisions and audience proximity.

Varied Conduct Across Spatial Divisions

• Environments exhibit contrasting regions like public service areas versus storage spaces in commercial settings.

• Teams tend to adopt familiar behaviors behind-the-scenes while maintaining formality when facing an audience upfront.

Role of Formality vs. Informality in Behavior

• Western societies showcase expressive informality among peers contrasted with formal language during performances.

Secrets and Roles in Teams

The discussion delves into the concept of secrets within teams and analyzes different roles individuals play, such as delators, false spectators, and non-existent individuals.

Secrets Classification

• Hoffman categorizes team secrets into three types:

• Very deep secrets known only to the team.

• Strategic secrets related to team goals kept hidden from the audience.

• Internal secrets indicating group membership and fostering a sense of separation.

Roles Based on Information Access

• Three pivotal roles are identified based on information access:

• Actuantes (actors) who are aware of their impact and may possess destructive information about the performance.

• Audience members with limited knowledge modified by observations but lacking destructive insights.

• Strangers excluded from both performance secrets and reality perception.

Discrepant Roles in Teams

This part explores discrepant roles like spies, false spectators, and impostors within teams, shedding light on their functions and impacts on team dynamics.

Role of Delator (Informant)

• Delators infiltrate teams genuinely but later reveal destructive information to the audience.

• If an individual joins a team solely to disclose secrets from the start, they are labeled as spies.

False Spectator's Role

• False spectators mimic audience behavior but align with actors; they guide or prompt desired responses from the actual audience for performance enhancement.

Impostor Dynamics

• Impostors can act as part of the audience while benefiting them rather than supporting actors.

The Role of Individuals in Social Interactions

The transcript discusses how individuals, such as servants and bodyguards, often act as if they are not seen or heard during social interactions, leading to a lack of acknowledgment of their presence.

Individual Existence in Social Settings

• Individuals like servants and bodyguards may be treated as non-existent during social interactions.

• Lack of acknowledgment towards these individuals can lead to them being caricatured or ridiculed behind the scenes.

Communication Dynamics within Teams

The text explores improper communication within teams, particularly focusing on how absent team members are treated differently when not visible or audible to the audience.

Treatment of Absent Team Members

• Team members tend to criticize absent colleagues behind the scenes in ways contradictory to how they treat them face-to-face.

• Absent team members may be ridiculed or defamed while actively participating in activities.

Managing Impressions and Behaviors in Performances

This part delves into the art of managing impressions during performances, emphasizing the importance of responsible expressive behavior by actors to avoid conveying inappropriate impressions unintentionally.

Art of Managing Impressions

• Actors must maintain responsible expressive behavior to prevent accidental gestures that convey inappropriate impressions.

• Unintentional disruptions like entering performance areas without notice can lead to misunderstandings and disrupt the intended impression.

Maintaining Performance Integrity

Discusses how maintaining performance integrity involves loyalty, discipline, and emotional detachment from personal interests for effective teamwork and cohesive performances.

Elements for Maintaining Performance Integrity

• Inappropriate actions or verbal slips can disrupt team cohesion and create unintended impressions.

Theatrical Performance and Discipline

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of discipline in theatrical performance, highlighting how actors must react to mistakes and challenges with quick thinking and creativity to maintain the integrity of the production.

Capacity of the Individual as an Actor

• : Emphasizes the significance of disciplined actors who can promptly address errors or script forgetfulness during performances.

Dramatic Circumspection and Loyalty

• : Discusses how dramatic circumspection, loyalty, and discipline are crucial attributes for team members to uphold a successful stage production.

Importance of Team Dynamics

• : Stresses the necessity for team members to possess loyalty, discipline, perspicacity, and inventiveness to effectively plan and execute a performance.

Example from Goffman's Work

• : Mentions an intriguing example from Goffman regarding tribal performers who maintained loyalty and discipline while executing extended acts without raising suspicion.

Theatrical Strategies of Deception

This segment delves into historical examples where performers utilized deception as a strategic tool in their theatrical endeavors.

The Disguise Strategy

• : Describes how Indian tribe members disguised themselves as merchants or soldiers to gain trust before betraying unsuspecting travelers for personal gain.

Building Trust through Deception

• : Illustrates how performers gradually earned victims' trust through humble behavior before ultimately deceiving them for material possessions.

Elaborate Deceptive Practices

• : Details how these performers managed to deceive vigilant audiences by maintaining a façade of humility and familiarity until seizing opportune moments for betrayal.

Social Impressions Management

The speaker explores Goffman's perspective on social establishments and the collaborative efforts within such settings to shape specific impressions.

Study of Social Establishments

• : Highlights Goffman's view that social establishments can be analyzed effectively by examining impression management strategies employed by collective actors within those environments.

Methodological Approach