Goffman's Dramaturgical Theory Essay

Applying Goffman’s theory of dramaturgical approach to social life and the presentation of self includes many concepts, such as, impression management, definition of the situation, front and back stage, and performer and character (Goffman, p. 479). Online interaction and how it is regulated is quite different without having a face-to-face interaction. With an online approach to communication there is quite a difference because it removes some aspects of interaction that are important to how Goffman thinks. How does online interaction differ from face-to-face interaction as Goffman understood them?
Some examples where online interactions are used are dating sites, message boards, comment postings, email confusion. All of these examples come with different interactions that sometimes can be used to be someone you are not in person or can be the cause of great confusion. The messages can come across without the complete message to the receiver by not having the voice inflections, facial expression, or better expressed by Goffman, “‘sign vehicles’ to give, and an impression or to give off, an impression to have the full meaning of the message.”
(Goffman, p. 480)
Goffman’s theory of interaction starts with the “first impression” that is the initial step in the extended series
The receiver can completely misunderstand what was intended to be understood and cause all kinds of problems for the sender. The message has a certain meaning and the meaning is miscommunicated because the receiver of the message has no “sign vehicles” to regulate the meaning intended by the sender. The only way the person can perceive the message is by their own perception. There are no voice inflection or facial expressions to regulate the conversation. This can happen easily in a workplace where email is the one of the most common forms of