Goffman's Dramaturgic Theory Analysis

Goffman’s dramaturgic theory states that, “our individual selves, is constructed through interaction” (Ferris, 2010, pg. 107). He believed that we learn appropriate behaviors through various social situations. If this is true, then that would explain why I felt out of my comfort zone with this experiment. My interaction with others on a daily basis consists of being in a professional atmosphere, where one is required to be poised and polite. Who would want and/or trust a nurse who acts like a fool, regardless of how smart they are? In the long run, the way I conduct myself at work (frontstage) has become of part of who I am on a daily basis in public. However, it is not necessarily how I act at home (backstage) or with my family and friends. Additionally, Goffman’s theory could answer why my test subjects responded the way they did. According to Goffman, the key is to understand that we present ourselves differently based on the situation that we are in (Ferris, 2010). In the dramaturgical perspective the region or setting can make a difference in how people respond and/or interact. Take for …show more content…
Sutherland’s theory explains that we learn deviant behavior through our interaction with deviant peers. (Ferris, 2010). Essentially, this theory is stating that peer pressure can be a driving force for deviant behavior. Nevertheless, it is not full proof because not everyone who interacts with deviant individuals becomes deviant themselves. Alternatively, a reasonable extension of this theory would be that we could learn to be poised and well-mannered based on the peers we select to associate with; just like in the social learning theory (Ferris, 2010). If a person was surrounded by those who are not rule breakers, then one can assume that we learned our courteous behavior through the interaction we had with those selected