Techniques to Defend Impression Management
Jeffrey Moy
In the article, Erving Goffman discusses how we are all social actors and how we present ourselves to others depending on a particular situation. Goffman defines this idea as impression management, which is “The act of presenting a strategic public image of one self so that others will form useful judgements” (McIntyre 2010). Goffman infers that it is our responsibility that we perform to the fullest in order to convince the audience that the impressions we make correlates with our particular role. In doing so, the area of social interaction where people perform and work to maintain appropriate impressions is compiled in the front stage (Gramlich). On the other hand, the backstage is when someone performs gestures not meant to be seen by the audience because it could destroy his/her or the team’s image (Gramlich). For my breaching experiment, I decided to switch roles with my Spanish professor. I taught the class while she sat and observed as a student. While the experiment only lasted for ten minutes, I was able to convince the students that I was a graduate student with the help of three expressive resources. They include: setting, appearance, and manner.
The first resource is setting. Setting is defined as the spatial and physical items in a situation that we use in staging our performance. In other words, the props and location was crucial for the success of my experiment. In order to present myself as a graduate student to the students, I had to have my presentation done in the classroom setting. In a typical classroom setting, props such as tables and chairs all face in one direction towards the front of the classroom where the podium and/or whiteboard is located. In turn, standing in my respective position allowed me to have some sense of order to obtain everyone’s attention in a given place.
The second resource is appearance. Appearance can include the personal items that identify us as individuals and informs others of our social status at a given time. When I was staging my performance as a graduate student, I wore a dress shirt, dress pants, tie, and dress shoes. I felt it was necessary to dress up for the occasion because I wanted our initial interaction to be professional. I wanted to be judged in a way where I can be taken seriously for my assigned social status. After my experiment and revealed by true status, I ask the class if dressing up affected my role as being a graduate student. One student said, “Yes. Seeing you initially dressed up made me take you seriously. Also, how you presented your lecture during class was significant as well.” From the student’s comments, dressing up reinforced the initial interaction between the students and I. However, to facilitate that role, the manner in how I presented myself to them was key as well.
The third resource is manner. Manner includes the expressions that reveal our style of behavior, mood, and dispositions. In relation the classroom setting, in order for me to convince the audience that I was a graduate student, I had to make a good impression. I had to be confident and keep my lecture fluent without any pause or disruptions. If a student asked me a question, I had to do my best to answer and not lose character. Successfully presenting my lecture in a formal manner gave me the privilege and authority to earn respect from the students. I was able to set the tone and got everyone to pay attention and not question my status.
Jeffrey Moy
In the article, Erving Goffman discusses how we are all social actors and how we present ourselves to others depending on a particular situation. Goffman defines this idea as impression management, which is “The act of presenting a strategic public image of one self so that others will form useful judgements” (McIntyre 2010). Goffman infers that it is our responsibility that we perform to the fullest in order to convince the audience that the impressions we make correlates with our particular role. In doing so, the area of social interaction where people perform and work to maintain appropriate impressions is compiled in the front stage (Gramlich). On the other hand, the backstage is when someone performs gestures not meant to be seen by the audience because it could destroy his/her or the team’s image (Gramlich). For my breaching experiment, I decided to switch roles with my Spanish professor. I taught the class while she sat and observed as a student. While the experiment only lasted for ten minutes, I was able to convince the students that I was a graduate student with the help of three expressive resources. They include: setting, appearance, and manner.
The first resource is setting. Setting is defined as the spatial and physical items in a situation that we use in staging our performance. In other words, the props and location was crucial for the success of my experiment. In order to present myself as a graduate student to the students, I had to have my presentation done in the classroom setting. In a typical classroom setting, props such as tables and chairs all face in one direction towards the front of the classroom where the podium and/or whiteboard is located. In turn, standing in my respective position allowed me to have some sense of order to obtain everyone’s attention in a given place.
The second resource is appearance. Appearance can include the personal items that identify us as individuals and informs others of our social status at a given time. When I was staging my performance as a graduate student, I wore a dress shirt, dress pants, tie, and dress shoes. I felt it was necessary to dress up for the occasion because I wanted our initial interaction to be professional. I wanted to be judged in a way where I can be taken seriously for my assigned social status. After my experiment and revealed by true status, I ask the class if dressing up affected my role as being a graduate student. One student said, “Yes. Seeing you initially dressed up made me take you seriously. Also, how you presented your lecture during class was significant as well.” From the student’s comments, dressing up reinforced the initial interaction between the students and I. However, to facilitate that role, the manner in how I presented myself to them was key as well.
The third resource is manner. Manner includes the expressions that reveal our style of behavior, mood, and dispositions. In relation the classroom setting, in order for me to convince the audience that I was a graduate student, I had to make a good impression. I had to be confident and keep my lecture fluent without any pause or disruptions. If a student asked me a question, I had to do my best to answer and not lose character. Successfully presenting my lecture in a formal manner gave me the privilege and authority to earn respect from the students. I was able to set the tone and got everyone to pay attention and not question my status.