Microsociology focuses on person and interpersonal relations on a small scale: face-to-face interaction. The dramaturgical theory is defined as a theatrical metaphor to define the method in which one presents itself to another based on cultural values, norms, and expectations. He states that there are two types of performances that we display in our every day life: front stage and backstage behavior. In front stage behavior, we are the actors and have an audience. We tend to perform roles and behaviors for a particular audience. In backstage behavior we hide this behavior and chose to hide our personal characteristics and behavior. Goffman believes an individual in social interactions engage in certain practices to avoid being embarrassed. We serve as actors because of the way we act differently in different settings and situations.
Inner Circle serves as an open space for individuals to eat, hang out, and study during passing periods. Our class flash mob consisted of call and response bird calls in Inner Circle. I belong to a sorority where our call is actually a birdcall so it wasn’t embarrassing for me to perform this experiment. I also had the mentality that these people were not going to see me ever again because I’m hardly in that area. Although I was not embarrassed it was fun receiving several comments, glances, looks, and laughs. For example, behind our table was another Greek member who stated, “Look what you guys started”. He thought it was because of our call that other individuals at the other side of inner circle started doing it as well. During half way of the experiment, my sorority sister and I were cawing and a girl was walking pasting our table and told us to “GROW UP”. Other reactions consisted of people ignoring the birdcalls, others looking around to see who was the one making the calls, and several laughs. I also observed that many individuals that did not belong in our class joined in the experiment and started making birdcalls as well. Although it was not visible that we were a group I would still consider this act as a flash mob because not only did we step outside of our comfort zone but also out of the social norm. The purpose of a flash mob is to perform an unusual, pointless act at a public place for a brief period of time and then leaving the scene as if nothing happened. Just simply ask yourself other than the fact that this happened yesterday morning, when else have you seen someone caw or fly like a bird in Inner Circle? It was unusual to see people cawing or imitating a bird while the purpose of Inner is to go in, study, eat, or chit chat with friends.
I only saw one person caw and flap her arms like wings. It would have been a successful flash mob if everyone in the class had walked to a certain spot in Inner and start flapping their arms while cawing at the same time. This experiment would have also been more effective if other individuals in our class were not afraid to do the call. From the spot where I was sitting I noticed that it would always be the same people performing the call. Whether or not an individual performed the cawing sound we were still seen as actors because of the act we were performing or in other words the social norm we were breaking. Overall, I believe our class flash mob was a success.
Inner Circle serves as an open space for individuals to eat, hang out, and study during passing periods. Our class flash mob consisted of call and response bird calls in Inner Circle. I belong to a sorority where our call is actually a birdcall so it wasn’t embarrassing for me to perform this experiment. I also had the mentality that these people were not going to see me ever again because I’m hardly in that area. Although I was not embarrassed it was fun receiving several comments, glances, looks, and laughs. For example, behind our table was another Greek member who stated, “Look what you guys started”. He thought it was because of our call that other individuals at the other side of inner circle started doing it as well. During half way of the experiment, my sorority sister and I were cawing and a girl was walking pasting our table and told us to “GROW UP”. Other reactions consisted of people ignoring the birdcalls, others looking around to see who was the one making the calls, and several laughs. I also observed that many individuals that did not belong in our class joined in the experiment and started making birdcalls as well. Although it was not visible that we were a group I would still consider this act as a flash mob because not only did we step outside of our comfort zone but also out of the social norm. The purpose of a flash mob is to perform an unusual, pointless act at a public place for a brief period of time and then leaving the scene as if nothing happened. Just simply ask yourself other than the fact that this happened yesterday morning, when else have you seen someone caw or fly like a bird in Inner Circle? It was unusual to see people cawing or imitating a bird while the purpose of Inner is to go in, study, eat, or chit chat with friends.
I only saw one person caw and flap her arms like wings. It would have been a successful flash mob if everyone in the class had walked to a certain spot in Inner and start flapping their arms while cawing at the same time. This experiment would have also been more effective if other individuals in our class were not afraid to do the call. From the spot where I was sitting I noticed that it would always be the same people performing the call. Whether or not an individual performed the cawing sound we were still seen as actors because of the act we were performing or in other words the social norm we were breaking. Overall, I believe our class flash mob was a success.