Erving Goffman b. 1922
The sociologist, social psychologist, and writer Erving
Goffman made significant contributions to our understanding of humans through
his detailed studies of face-to-face interaction and social customs in many
regions. Concerned with everyday behaviour or ‘interaction order’, he added to
the concepts of framing, game theory, interactions and linguistics. Within the
discipline of communication Goffman has influenced research into language and
social interaction. His work on ‘impression management’ fits well into the
nonverbal communication cannon, and he highlighted the importance for people to
see themselves as others see them. He saw language, posture, gaze and gesture
as a holistic arrangement but also discovered subtle ways in which we present
acceptable images by concealing certain information considered unsuitable for a
particular context.
Read The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life (1959)
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