Dramaturgical Analysis:

“The Presentation of Self”

Dramaturgical analysis is the analysis of social interaction as if it were a theatrical performance. This approach to the study of social interaction is closely associated the work of Erving Goffman (1922–1980). Goffman agreed that people socially construct reality, but emphasized that in doing so they make use of various elements of social structure. Thus, like a director carefully scrutinizing actors on a stage, Goffman sought to identify social structures that are used over and over again.

Dramaturgical analysis provides a fresh look at two now familiar concepts. A status is very much like a part in a play, and a role can be compared to a script that supplies dialogue and action to each of the characters. Roles are performed in countless settings that are like a stage in a theatre, and are observed by various audiences. The heart of Goffman’s analysis is the process he called the presentation of the self, which means the ways in which individuals, in various settings, attempt to create specific impression in the minds of others. This process is also called impression management, and contains a number of common elements.

Task 8. Answer the questions:

1. What problem does the text deal with?

2. What kind of analysis is dramaturgical analysis?

3. What does “the presentation of self” mean?

4. What is the other name for it?

Task 9. Find in the text English equivalents for:

соответствующий; приближаться; посредством; одновременно; ряд ролей; вести хозяйство; частичный перечень; несовместимость; следовательно; тесно связан; снова и снова; суть анализа

Task 10. Read and translate the following words and their derivatives:

interact – interaction– interacting

correspond – correspondence – corresponding – correspondingly

respond – response – respondent

perform – performance

expect – expectation – expectancy

relate – relation – relational – relative – relatively

introduce – introduction – introductory

incompatible – incompatibility

analyze – analysis – analyst

Task 11. Read and translate the following sentences into Russian taking into account the meanings of: in terms of; by means of

1. The problem must be explained in terms of dialectical materialism.

2. By means of this definition he managed to explicate the issue.

3. They pointed to the drawbacks of his theory by means of a new hypothesis.

4. In terms of his viewpoint the scholar solved his complicated problem.

5. He analyzed the phenomenon of creativity in terms of the new approach.

6. By means of his analysis they made a correct conclusion.

7. In terms of his interpretation the issue was properly examined.

Task 12. Complete the following sentences and translate them into Russian:

1. Single parents experience role conflict with … .

2. I experienced hardships while … .

3. He experiences true feelings toward … .

4. Recent years experienced great transformations in … .

5. I experience joy when … .

6. They experience troubles in … .

Task 13. Memorize the following words and word-combinations:

at once particular status

closely associated play a role

consequently refer to

considerable relational

correspondingly role conflict

demand (n.,v.) role expectation

identify role performance

incompatibility role strain

in terms of simultaneous

multiple roles status set

UNIT 7. KINDS OF GROUPS

We have already found out that sociology, as one of its main objects, studies social institutions and social relations, social bodies and social groups. Sociologists were early concerned with the problem of classifying groups as well. They have proposed many different classificatory schemes for the specific groups. They make up their classifications on the basis of selecting a few properties and define ‘types’ of groups on the principle whether these properties are present or absent.

Among the properties most often employed are size (number of members), amount of physical interaction among members, degree of intimacy, level of solidarity, focus of control of group activities and tendency of members to react on one another as individual persons. On the basis of these properties the following kinds of groups have been identified: formal – informal, primary – secondary, small – large, autonomous – dependent, temporary – permanent.

Sometimes sociologists make up their classifications of the groups according to their objectives or social settings. These are such groups as work groups, therapy groups, social groups, committees, clubs, gangs, teams, religious groups, and the like.

Task 1. Transcribe the following words and learn their pronunciation:

atmosphere, attribute, autonomous, classify, cohesiveness, identified, isolate, primary, religious, scheme, specific, therapy

Task 2. Answer the following questions:

1. What does sociology study as one of its main objects?

2. What were sociologists early concerned with?

3. They have proposed many different classificatory schemes, haven’t they?

4. What is the basis of their classification?

5. What properties are most often employed?

6. What kinds of groups are identified on the basis of these properties?

7. What other principles do sociologists employ in their classifications?

8. Give examples of formal groups, informal groups, primary groups, secondary groups.

Task 3. Agree or disagree with the following:

Use: You are right.

Sorry, but you are wrong.

1. One of the main objects of the sociologists is to study social bodies and social groups.

2. Sociologists have begun classifying groups quite recently.

3. They make up their group classifications on the basis of a few properties.

4. But sociologists failed to identify these groups.

5. Sometimes they classify groups according to their objectives and social settings.

6. There is no clear-cut difference between primary and secondary groups.

7. Work groups are formal groups.

Task 4. Divide the text into three logical parts.

Task 5. Characterize in brief:

1. Properties of the groups.

2. Group classifications.

Task 6. Read the text and translate it in writing: