Social Interaction and Construction of the Individual Self in E. Goffman's Theory

E. Goffman offers an original vision of individual activity in social interaction, founding his theory on the concept of self as defined by G. H. Mead and adopting the perspective developed by the symbolic interactionism. According to Goffman, interaction can be seen as a theatrical performance during which each social individual plays a part or a routine (a "pre-established pattern of action which is unfolded during a performance and which may be presented or played through on other occasions" [6]) and, at the same time, demands the others to participate in this performance and take on a role in the system. In order to define individual behaviour as histrionic performance, E. Goffman uses the notion of front ("the expressive equipment of a standard kind intentionally or unwittingly employed by the individual during his performance" [6]) which is built-up during each interaction and depends not only on the social actor's will to impose a certain image of himself but also on his status in the social world. The face-work theory is a veritable psychosocial theory on human behaviour, a set of societal rules which help individuals to interact with the others under the best possible conditions. The self is a key concept in Goffman's social theory. Our aim is to look at the transformations of this concept, which is subjected to an extremely thorough analysis throughout the entire work of the American sociologist.