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rom the mental hospital to social interaction: How does Goffman's work affect our understanding of ourselves
Erving Goffman was a Canadian-born American sociologist and psychologist. He was born on June 11, 1922 and died on November 19, 1982. One of the most influential sociologists of the 20th century, his work has given us a new appreciation for the depth and complexity of our understanding of ourselves. Goffman's The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life pioneered the dramatic analysis of social interaction, emphasizing the role-playing of people in their daily lives, and thus proposed the concept of "interaction order", which emphasizes the social The environment shapes self-image.
Goffman believed that social interaction is like a drama, and the relationship between the characters and the audience determines how the self is presented.
Goffman's life and career
Goffman's early life was full of twists and turns. He was born in Marneville, Alberta, Canada, to Ukrainian Jewish immigrants. He was subsequently educated at St. John Technical High School in Winnipeg and eventually attended the University of Manitoba, where he majored in chemistry. As his interest in sociology grew, Goffman transferred to the University of Toronto and earned a bachelor's degree in sociology and anthropology. As his research deepened, his focus on social interaction, especially daily life, became an important research direction.
During Goffman's life, his works such as Asylums and Stigma not only enriched the theoretical system of sociology, but also provided a new understanding of the social phenomenon of mental hospitals and self-cognition. A profound insight. These works explore how people face themselves and how others view them in extreme social environments. Goffman's research helps people understand how people with mental illness reconstruct their identities in society and how they protect themselves and manage their image in a reality of stigmatization.
Goffman's main works and ideas
The concept of "impression management" advocated by Goffman emphasizes people's manipulation of their external image and believes that social interaction is a stage for self-construction.
Goffman's "The Performance of the Self" explores the distinction between "front stage" and "back stage". The front stage is a fun place for individuals to show themselves, while the back stage is a space where people can relax and break away from their social roles. This distinction makes people realize that everyone's behavior in public space is to some extent a conscious performance, and these performances are influenced by external environment and cultural expectations.
In Asylum, Goffman documents in detail the experiences of mentally ill patients in institutionalized settings, emphasizing how these environments not only affect medical practice but also have long-term effects on patients' self-perception. He used the term "total institution" to describe environments such as mental hospitals that have complete control over an individual's life and how these institutions influence that individual's behavior and identity.
Social Interaction and Self-Identity
Goffman's research involves all levels of social interaction, especially his analysis of "stigma", which shows the shame and fear felt by individuals when they fail to meet social standards. This concept reveals how in modern society, individuals often need to face multiple labels and prejudices, and conduct corresponding image management to maintain their self-worth.
Goffman's theory makes us reflect on how we should deal with ourselves and interact with each other in the face of social expectations and our own flaws.
In addition to his contributions in academia, Goffman also has a unique writing style. His ironic and literary expressions make his views more easily accepted by the public. This style not only changed the appearance of academic writing, but also led later scholars to pay more attention to the subtle differences in social language and interaction. Goffman's influence is obviously not limited to the field of sociology, but also extends deeper into various discussions on culture and communication.
Contemporary influences and reflections
Although Goffman's works have aroused a lot of discussion in the academic community, Fine and Manning have pointed out that there are still quite a number of scholars who have failed to inherit his ideas, which seems to indicate that Goffman's research is unique and not easy to imitate. The complexity of contemporary society and the diversity of interpersonal interactions make Goffman's ideas even more important, and we need to re-examine the position of the self in society and its interactions.
Goffman's efforts are undoubtedly a profound contribution to our understanding of ourselves. In such a rapidly changing society, how do individuals' social identities and self-cognition continue to adjust and reshape? This is still a topic worthy of in-depth discussion.
