How does the dramaturgical perspective enable our understanding of everyday life? Go

Section: A
Sociology Paper 2023 Analysis
(Relevant Paper 1: Unit-2 Sociology as Science; Major theoretical strands of research methodology)

Question: 1 (C) How does the dramaturgical perspective enable our understanding of everyday life? Go

(10 Marks)

Introduction: Brief Idea About the Dramaturgical Perspective Main Body: Significance of Dramaturgical Perspective in Understanding Daily Actions, Limitations of the Perspective Conclusion: Significance in Expanding the Scope of Sociology and Providing Unique Aspect of Social Reality

Introduction:

• The dramaturgical perspective, often associated with sociologist Erving Goffman, introduces the concept of the “dramaturgical self” and the “front stage” and “backstage” aspects of everyday life. By viewing human interactions through the lens of a theatrical performance, it offers valuable insights into understanding daily actions. According to this perspective, individuals present themselves to others based on their cultural values, societal norms, and the expectations of their audience.
• They perform different roles in different situations, which are like different scenes in a play. In drama , the role of every individual is fixed and meaning are attached  and individuals are not only  aware about his/her role but also about others role too.  According to Goffman society is a drama stage, where different individuals assign meaning to not only his or her role , but attaches meanings to others role also. Society becomes possible with meaningful role sets.

Main body:

Significance of dramaturgical perspective in shaping understanding of everyday life

• The dramaturgical perspective suggests that individuals adopt roles and person as similar to actors in a play. This concept helps us see how people manage their self-presentation in various social situations, often adjusting their behaviour and appearance to fit societal expectations.
• In keeping with the theatre metaphor, Goffman calls these public presentations front stage. The preparation for the role occurs.  back stage, which is a more private component of the process. The back stage may include considering potential dialogue, personal appearance, and other areas contributing to the desired, dominant impression.  
• For example  an individual’s preparation for a job interview occurs backstage. During this phase, they meticulously choose their attire and rehearse responses to potential interview questions. The actual interview, characterized as the front stage, unfolds as a dynamic interaction between two individuals, where both participants engage in impression management through their actions and communication.
• Goffman’s perspective emphasizes that people engage in impression management, consciously or unconsciously. Impression management, or shaping the opinions or views of others, is the goal of these public representations of the self. Impression management is achieved when individuals consciously or unconsciously select the information presented in interactions with others.
• According to Goffman, interactions between two or more people will involve impression management, which is always based on attempts to persuade others to accept a particular definition of the social situation. They strategically craft their behaviour to create desired impressions, such as professionalism at work or friendliness in social gatherings. This helps us recognize the per formative nature of daily life.
• For example social interactions can be used to create the impression of rebellion  also against these expectations. In these cases, individuals may adopt a commonly understood set of symbols or behavior to represent their revolt against societal norms. Such scenarios are also examples of impression management.
• In daily interactions, individuals take on specific roles and follow socially scripted behaviours. These roles and scripts guide our actions and interactions, making them predictable and understandable. This perspective helps us analyze how societal norms influence our behaviour. For example father saying that ”I have given my daughter permission“  to choose her career can be seen as assertion of role by father.
• The idea of an audience in the dramaturgical perspective highlights that our actions are often influenced by the perceived reactions and judgments of others. Understanding this aspect helps us grasp the significance of social validation and its impact on our choices.
• Goffman’s concept of “stigma” refers to characteristics or attributes that society deems undesirable. The dramaturgical perspective sheds light on how individuals with stigmatized identities or conditions navigate their daily lives by managing information and impressions.
• Recognizing that not all performances are smooth, the dramaturgical perspective helps us understand conflicts, awkward moments, and instances where individuals “break character.” These situations offer insights into social dynamics and the challenges of maintaining a consistent front-stage persona.
• The dramaturgical perspective provides insight into how surface appearances work and how they may deceive. We cast other people into roles as we walk down the street, and we recognize that many places comprise routine stages where we must act in certain ways, whether we feel like it or not. This understanding helps us navigate social interactions and the expectations placed upon us.

The dramaturgical approach, though insightful for understanding everyday life, has certain limitations:

1. Descriptive, not Explanatory: Critics argue that it’s descriptive rather than explanatory, offering insights into how people manage impressions without delving into the underlying reasons for their behaviour.
2. Not a Comprehensive Theory: This perspective falls short of providing a comprehensive theory that can offer all-encompassing explanations for human behavior or generate testable hypotheses.
3. Invalid Inferences: Comparing offstage roles to theatrical roles can lead to invalid inferences, as individuals may present different facets of themselves in various contexts, but this doesn’t equate their offstage roles with those of stage actors.
4. Limitations of the Metaphor: The metaphor itself imposes limitations, as theatrical performances are artificial, while real-life interactions are multifaceted and intricate. This metaphor may oversimplify the complexities of human behaviour and social interactions.

Conclusion:

Despite its limitations ,the core element of the dramaturgical approach is the creation of the self through social interactions. Whether it’s a face-to-face interaction or an online interaction, the dramaturgical approach is useful in understanding how individual identities are created and recreated in everyday life.

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META TAGS:

Dramaturgical perspective, Erving Goffman, Everyday life, Impression management, Societal roles, Social validation, Stigmatized identities, Social interactions, Limitations, Human behavior, Front stage, Backstage

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