Social Interaction and Identity Management Concepts

Personal front

The tools (appearance, manner, style) used to present oneself in social interactions.

Impression management

Efforts to control how others perceive us.

Working consensus

A shared understanding or agreement about the definition of a situation among participants.

Aligning actions

Tactics like accounts or disclaimers used to restore order when interaction is disrupted.

Frontstage vs backstage

Frontstage is public behavior; backstage is private behavior where the individual can relax their performance.

Negative interpersonal rituals

Behaviors used to avoid violating others' personal space or norms.

Positive interpersonal rituals

Behaviors that affirm and acknowledge others, such as greetings or compliments.

Bathrooms and Goffman

Illustrate backstage behavior and efforts to manage impressions even in private settings.

Individual discrimination

When one person treats another unfairly based on group membership.

Institutional discrimination

Systemic and structural disadvantages imposed on certain groups by institutions.

Racial socialization

The process of learning behaviors, attitudes, and messages about race.

Racial differences in racial socialization

Different racial groups emphasize messages like racial pride or preparation for bias differently.

Culture

The shared beliefs, values, norms, and practices of a group.

Norms

Rules and expectations for behavior within a group.

Values

Culturally defined standards for what is good, desirable, or proper.

Beliefs

Shared ideas people hold to be true.

Material culture

Physical objects that are created, used, or valued by a culture.

Meet the Natives

Clips showing cultural relativism and ethnocentrism in real-life cultural exchanges.

Subcultures

Groups with values and norms distinct from the majority.

Cultural relativism vs ethnocentrism

Cultural relativism judges cultures by their own standards; ethnocentrism judges them by one's own culture.

Compassion

An emotional response of caring for another's suffering with a desire to help.

Cognitive empathy

Understanding another person's thoughts or perspective.

Rules of denial

Social norms about what topics are not to be acknowledged or discussed.

Socialization into denial

Children and professionals learn which topics are inappropriate to mention.

Historical shifts in rules of denial

Over time, U.S. society has changed what is considered discussable or taboo.

Cultures of silence

Groups or societies where sensitive or controversial topics are systematically avoided.

Delicate topics in conversation

Issues that are avoided in discussion due to discomfort or social norms.

Bureaucracies

Formal organizations with clear hierarchies and rules.

Institutional order strategies

Methods like scripts, surveillance, and routines used to maintain order.

Code of the street (context)

A set of informal rules in inner-city environments to gain respect and safety.

Code of the street (components)

Includes respect, retaliation, self-presentation, and toughness.

Gender and code of the street

Boys are socialized to show toughness; girls navigate a different set of expectations.

Perspectives

Different theoretical views used to understand social life.

Psychology vs Sociology

Psychology focuses on individuals' minds; sociology on social interactions and contexts.

Sociological social psychological research

Studies how individuals are shaped by and interact with social forces.

Social objects

Things that have meaning because of social interaction.

Symbols

Objects or gestures that carry meaning agreed upon by society.

Self-concept

The image or idea a person has of themselves.

Self-judgment

Evaluating one's own traits or actions.

Self-control

The ability to regulate one's own behavior and impulses.

Identities

Roles or categories a person internalizes and performs in social life.

Mind action

The internal dialogue people have as they anticipate interactions.

Role taking

Imagining the perspective of others in an interaction.

Acts

Individual behaviors or performances in a social setting.

Definition of the situation

A shared agreement about what is happening in an interaction.

Socialization

The lifelong process of learning norms, values, and roles.

Deep acting vs surface acting

Deep acting changes internal feelings; surface acting changes only external expression.

Gender and emotions

Cultural norms that shape how different genders express emotions.

Emotion work

Managing one's emotions as part of interaction expectations.

Emotional labor

Emotion work done for pay, especially in service roles.

Panethnic groups

Broad racial/ethnic categories grouping diverse nationalities together.

Stigma

A discrediting label that changes others' perception of a person.

Stereotypes

Generalized beliefs about a group of people.

Prejudice

A preconceived negative judgment of a group or its members.

Face-work

Strategies used to maintain one's social dignity and image.

Actors and audience

Participants in an interaction—those performing and those observing.