Social Interaction in Everyday Life What controls your social interaction? © Robert J. Atkins, Ph.D. 1

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What creates a Social Structure? u Status u Role 3

What statuses do I have? u Ascribed status Received at birth or involuntarily assumed u Achieved status Voluntary u Master status Special importance for your identity Think about … 4

What status set do I have? Son Studen t Employee Friend Think about … 5

What is a role? u Behavior expected on someone who holds a particular status u Son u Student u Friend u Employee 6

What role set do I have? Son Studen t Employee Friend Think about … 7

What role conflicts do I have? u Student and Employee u Two separate roles Think about … 8

What role strains do you have? u Supervisor and friend u One role – two opposing expectations Super Mgt. Friend 9

What is role exit? 10

Do you remember? u What creates a social structure? u What types of statuses are their? u What is the difference between a status and a role? u What is the difference between role conflict and role strain? 11

What is the “social construction of reality”? u People creatively shape reality through interaction u Thomas theorem “ Situations that are defined as real become real in their consequences ” “ Definition of the Situation ” 12

What is the Dramaturgical Analysis? u Erving Goffman Sees society as a theatrical performance 13

Presentation of self u Efforts to create specific impressions in the minds of others u Performance Costumes, props, tone of voice, etc. 14

What part does “tact” play in the dramaturgical Analysis? u Tact is used in embarrassing situations When the constructed reality breaks down 15

Getting the humor in a joke u Audience must inferentially complete the joke in their minds u Audience must understand the two realities involved, and appreciate their difference u What is funny in one culture may not be funny in another society. E.g. “ Blond jokes ” in Africa 16

Do you remember? u What is the Thomas Theorem? u What is the Dramaturgical Analysis? u How would you use the “presentation of self” in an interview? u When is tact usually used? u What is it that creates humor? 17

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