Lecture 4 - is all the world a stage? the presentation of the self

Question 1

Dramaturgical school

Answer 1

SI - exchange of symbols in interactions

focuses on how the self is “performed” for others

Question 2

Why dramaturgical

Answer 2

actors on a stage

argued that people put on masks and performances to manage the impressions that others shave of them

Question 3

Is there a self?

Answer 3

choose to act differently from our identities during social exchanges and … we have to practice identities before fully incorporating them into our senses of self

Question 4

Ramifications for the self

Answer 4

able to audition different identities

shape whether and how we integrate these identities into a self-concept

the performance of the identity is central to its adoption into the self-concept

Question 5

Areas of performance

Answer 5

front stage / back stage

Question 6

Front stage

Answer 6

where we present ourselves to others

Question 7

Backstage

Answer 7

where we relax impression management and practice our presentations

inaccessible to outsiders

allows people to knowingly violate the appearances they present in front regions

seeing backstage will ruin the performance that has occurred in the front stage

Question 8

Types of presentation

Answer 8

multiple forms of the presentation of self

one may have an ideal presentation of what we wish we were

the authentic presentation is consistent with who we think we are

we present ourselves as others want or expect us to be

Question 9

Authentic presentations

Answer 9

self-disclosure - revealing personal aspects of one’s feelings and behavior

self-disclosure tends to lead to greater appreciation from others and can reduce loneliness

disclosure that is too intimate for the depth of the relationship can lead to disliking

Question 10

Impression management

Answer 10

the ways that individuals seek to control the impressions they convey to other people

tactical impression management because the use of use of conscious, goal-directed activity to control info to influence impressions

Question 11

Impression

Answer 11

Likable and competent

we may also want to make people fear us, respect us for our morals, or feel sorry for us

Question 12

Information seeking

Answer 12

we seek info from people in interactions

to help establish expectations for our behaviors and others in the situation

can attempt to manage the info that we provide to others, thereby managing expectations

Question 13

Appearances

Answer 13

refers to everything about a person that others can observe

include possessions, clothes, physical habits, and non-verbal cues

through appearances, we communicate who we are and the type of actions we intend to pursue

Question 14

Physical appearances

Answer 14

physical appearances such as clothes and make-up can be used to communicate identities

deviating from common norms can also be sued as a means of communication

Props- can also be used

Question 15

Ingratiation

Answer 15

attempts to make people like us more through impression management

we are not necessarily always aware that we are utilizing impression management for ingratiation

Question 16

Conditions for ingratiation

Answer 16

depend on someone else for rewards/benefits and believe that the person will be more likely to bestow these on individuals they like

when the other person has greater discretion in doing out these rewards

Question 17

Organizational Context

Answer 17

when roles are ambiguous, members of the organization are likely to be unclear on whether they are doing a good job

people are likely to use ingratiation to ensure they are perceived as competent and receive rewards

Question 18

Status and ingratiation

Answer 18

status also tends to shape the success of ingratiation

people of higher status tend to be less successful than people of equal or lower status

higher-status targets may be more careful due to a suspicion regarding ingratiation motives

Question 19

Ingratiation tactics

Answer 19

“other focused”

• opinion conformity
• other enhancement
• supplication

other -focused because they are intended to increase another’s person’s likely for the individual

Question 20

Opinion conformity

Answer 20

when we pretend to share someone’s views on important issues

because people tend to like others who hold opinions similar to their own

to avoid arousing suspicion, one should mix conformity on important issues with disagreement on unimportant issues

Question 21

Other enhancement

Answer 21

Outfight flattery or complimenting of the target person

effective when targeting areas in which individuals wish to excel but are unsure of themselves

people tend to respond positively to other enhancement due to vanity
- we like to be evaluated positively by others

Question 22

Playing dumb

Answer 22

Another form of enhancement

when we pretend to be less intelligent or knowledgeable to give someone else a sense of superiority

people tend to play dumb when they hold Lower-status positions in competitive occupations where knowledge is valued

Question 23

Additional reasons to play dumb

Answer 23

please ignorance or incompetence to avoid acting or taking on a task

one may also do so to avoid responsibility
- used by organizational leaders

Question 24

supplication

Answer 24

when we convince others we are needy and deserving

separate from ingratiation

seems to be grouped here because it is other-focused and can ultimately result in ingratiation

Question 25

Selective self-presentation

Answer 25

we present our qualities to increase our likeability to others try to present our qualities in terms of strengths, virtues, and admirable qualities self-promotion) -opinion conformity in job interviews may be more effective

Question 26

Self-deprecation

Answer 26

present our attributes, but make an only humble or modest claims especially effective when a culture values as honesty and objectivity in self-appraisal used in moderation or people may form a negative evaluation of us

Question 27

Computer mediated communication (CMC)

Answer 27

writer and the receiver are physically isolated from each other, so the receiver does not have access to nonverbal cues, which are often less controlled and therefore more revealing people have more control over presentation of self, especially through control over content and timing of messages

Question 28

CMC and interactions

Answer 28

this can be an idealized or imagined self One can have a separate identity on online platforms, or change physical appearances

Question 29

Additional presentation

Answer 29

present a self that could be produced in the future E.g., Posting on a dating site 10 lbs. lighter than one actually is others use MCM as a means of keeping the focus on the self “I like to be center of attention”

Question 30

Public figures

Answer 30

how they use social media these individuals are often already in the public eye how the self is presented as a means of communicating with a broader public

Question 31

Instagram

Answer 31

Examined professional athletes' instagram post athletes' postings conformed to gender norms Ex: women were more likely to post pictures that involved touching

Question 32

Authenticity

Answer 32

athletes also were more likely to post personal or social pictures than athletics or competitions suggest thatches was a strategy to appear "authentic" -the more genuine an athlete appears the more they appear to share similar interests and characteristics with audiences

Question 33

likability

Answer 33

people attempt to manipulate their likability using instagram as a form of ingratiation they are using behaviour conformity technique when one wishes to create a greater sense of similarity with one's viewer

Question 34

When a performance fails

Answer 34

may not always be successful experience embarrassment - feeling we we experience when the public identity we claim in an encounter is discredited

Question 35

Specific sources of embarassment

Answer 35

People’s performance skills do not match the identity they claim "im a great cook" Cognitive shortcomings, such as forgetting someone’s name Violation of privacy -In other words, the incursion of front-stage into backstage Lack of poise -Loss of control of equipment or one’s body, or tearing one’s clothes

Question 36

Embarrassment due to others

Answer 36

feel embarrassment when the performance of others fails This can especially occur when our own successful performance highlights another’s failure feel embarrassment because the assumption on which we built our interaction has been falsified

Question 37

Face-work

Answer 37

try to protect our own and others’ presentation of self "lose face" when we fail to give off the desired impression we may engage in “face-work,” “in which we to try to protect our own and others’ presentation of self

Question 38

why do we engage in face work

Answer 38

may not only endeavour to protect our own identity performance, but the performance of others as well We do this in part to support the interaction, but also because supporting others engenders reciprocity whereby others may support us in future interactions

Question 39

Face-Work and embarrassment

Answer 39

when we face embarrassment due to our performance responsibility is on person who caused embarrassment, but all may participate in negating embarrassment may be motivated because embarrassment is uncomfortable to all involved

Question 40

Types of face-work

Answer 40

"save face" Defensive practices are apologies or excuses for one’s poor performance Protective practices are practices by one’s “audience” that help maintain the performance E.g., ignore a poor part of the performance or let the actor off the hook

Question 41

Aligning interactions

Answer 41

“attempts to define their apparently questionable conduct as actually in line with cultural or group norms”

Question 42

Disclaimers

Answer 42

anticipate their performance “will disrupt smooth social interaction, invite criticism, or threaten their established identity people attempt to prevent negative implications by defining their actions as irrelevant to their established identities

Question 43

An extraordinary case

Answer 43

performance would normally have a negative identity, but underscore that this is not a usual set of circumstances negative judgement should be reserved

Question 44

Alternative disclaimers

Answer 44

“extraordinary credentials” The “some of my best friends are” defense one could point to a lack of credentials, especially when uncertain how others will react to new information or suggestions

Question 45

Accounts

Answer 45

These occur after disruptive behavior repair the damage explanations people offer to mitigate responsibility after they have performed acts that threaten their identities be categorized as excuses and justifications

Question 46

Excuses

Answer 46

intended to reduce the observer’s tendency to hold the individual responsible or to make negative inferences about the actor’s character also preserve the individual’s self-image and reduce the stress associated with failure

Question 47

Types of excuses

Answer 47

deny responsibility for unsuitable behavior point to uncontrollable events cite external coercive pressure indicate compelling internal pressure

Question 48

Types of excuses: point to uncontrollable events

Answer 48

(“I missed the exam because I was kidnapped by Martians.”)

Question 49

Types of excuses: cite external coercive pressure

Answer 49

I stole the money because the Martians threatened to release embarrassing pictures of me

Question 50

Types of excuses: indicated compelling internal pressure

Answer 50

(“I would have come to the party, but I was too depressed about the war with Mars.”)

Question 51

Justifications

Answer 51

intended to reduce the perceived wrongness of behaviour one admits responsibility for the unsuitable behaviour one also tries to define the behaviour as appropriate under the circumstances

Question 52

Purpose of justification

Answer 52

admit responsibility but reduce the perceived wrongness of the behaviour E.g., “Sure I hit him, but that’s because he said something bigoted about Martians” the difference between excuses and justifications is that with a justification, we do not deny responsibility for unsuitable behaviour, and we do with excuses

Question 53

When are accounts accepted

Answer 53

People are more likely to accept accounts: When the content appears truthful and conforms with the explanations commonly used for such behavior When the individual who gives them is trustworthy, penitent, and of superior status, and when the identity violation is not serious 

Question 54

When face-work ends

Answer 54

one’s audience may cease engaging in face-work occur when people repeatedly fail to meet performance standards Cooling-out or identity degradation are two alternatives

Question 55

Cooling out

Answer 55

Persuading someone to accept a less-desirable, reasonable, alternative identity E.g., convincing a Master’s student not to pursue a Ph.D. and work for StatsCan instead Based on persuasion, not force Cooling-out actions usually try to protect the failed performer’s privacy, console them, and reduce distress

Question 56

Identity degradation

Answer 56

failed performer into a non-person “An individual who cannot be trusted to perform as a normal member of the social group because of bad motives” Imposes a severe loss, done with force, as individuals are made to take on new identities Often involve a dramatic ceremony, such as a criminal trial

Question 57

Degradation vs cooling out

Answer 57

Cooling-out is more likely when the offender has had prior relations of empathy and solidarity with others and when alternative identity options are available Degradation is more likely when prior relationships entailed little intimacy or when respectable alternative identities are not readily available

Question 58

An issue in degradation

Answer 58

rare that there are public ceremonies to restore someone’s identity or return someone to society have suggested that community-based, public “redemption rituals” could ease someone’s return to society Others argue for a lifetime of a spoiled identity

Question 59

Stigma and identity

Answer 59

how one can obtain a spoiled identity concept of stigma reduced in our minds from a whole and usual person to a tainted discounted one

Question 60

How stigma affects identity

Answer 60

stigma refers to a social identity, or membership in some social category, that calls into question a person’s full humanity—the person is devalued, spoiled, or flawed in the eyes of others socially derogated group in turn leads to a socially devalued identity

Question 61

Degradation and stigma

Answer 61

becomes a felon or has resigned in failure there are few public ways to remove stigma once it is created through identity degradation One is always an “ex-con

Question 62

Varieties of stigma

Answer 62

he grouped having a physical defect, being a criminal, and being a member of an ethnic minority all under “stigma,” even though they have nothing in common

Question 63

What is common about stigma

Answer 63

it results in a spoiled identity in which one is considered lesser-than due to ability or morality

Question 64

Stigma and performance

Answer 64

overlays the performance of the self one is prevented from a competent performance b/c stigma disqualifies the ind from the ability to perform well result is discomfort during social interactions

Question 65

Stigma and discomfort

Answer 65

discomfort arises because both the performer and audience are uncertain about appropriate behavior may be uncertain about whether to call attention to or ignore the stigma Stigmatized individuals may vacillate between withdrawal and persistent against limitations

Question 66

Stigma and fear

Answer 66

non-stigmatized individual may also feel danger in interacting with stigmatized individuals may also feel a risk of social discreditation from associating with a stigmatized individual one may also feel disgust in interacting with a stigmatized individual Sympathy and compassion may also be simultaneously felt

Question 67

Behavioral implications

Answer 67

non-stigmatized individuals will limit their behavior when interacting with stigmatized individuals serve to limit the uncertainty when interacting with the stigmatized individual, thereby reducing their discomfort

Question 68

Effects of being stigmatized

Answer 68

When people experience a stigma, they will behave as if they are treated negatively regardless if they are or not tend to perform more poorly, and exhibit indications that they are more anxious, tense, and less well adjusted

Question 69

Challenges to the presentation

Answer 69

the recipient of impression management may not be motivated to engage in face-work at all If you win I lose may lose in some way if the presentation of self is maintained Car sales men – never assume that car sales man is trying to help you out because they helped you out Catch them – present a self that may not be true Ex: acting like you don’t know anything about cars but you actually know a lot

Question 70

Looking to unmask

Answer 70

motivated to the reverse of face-work “unmask” the presenter and reveal in inauthentic presentation of self may look to ulterior motives or cues that accompany action Can you catch people in deception or people stretching the truth

Question 71

Ulterior motives

Answer 71

individuals may have self-serving motives, their presentation may be questioned -May stretch the truth for their personal purposes “the very conditions that increase the temptation to use deception also make the target more vigilant” Ex: tinder date, having a drink, you may be more cautious knowing what their intentions are

Question 72

Non- verbal leakage

Answer 72

the inadvertent communication of true intentions or emotions through nonverbal channels occur through diction, body language one may have less control over some of these nonverbal channels

Question 73

Points to look for

Answer 73

lower control over voice and body movements these tend to be the points of the highest “leakage” of information that deceivers will try to shorten head, leg, and foot movements as a means of controlling leakage

Question 74

Detection of deception

Answer 74

tend not to correctly identify deception rely on the wrong information or cues when judging deception -High level of false detection because they tend to look at the wrong things

Question 75

Additional issues

Answer 75

Skilled tactical impression managers can provide a good performance give off cues when acting as audience, thereby allowing the performer to adjust their performance Ex: meeting someone new on a blind date Ask lots of questions, and listen

Question 76

Best tips for detecting deception

Answer 76

pay more attention to auditory than visual cues - as these are less under control by a speaker verbal content can also be informative -because people who engage in deception stumble over words Truthful accounts will generally be more logically structured and contain more details