Self-Presentation EXAM

Goffman’s Self-Presentation Theory

Q: What are the key concepts in Goffman’s self-presentation theory?

A: Frontstage/backstage behavior, sign vehicles (clothing, speech), misrepresentation, performance disruptions, and corrective performances.

Impression Management

Q: What are the two main components of impression management?

A: Impression motivation (why we care about our image) and impression construction (how we shape that image).

Impression Management

Q: How has social media changed impression management?

A: It has made curating self-presentation easier but raises ethical concerns about authenticity.

Aesthetic Capital vs. Other Forms of Capital

Q: What is aesthetic capital?

A: The advantages associated with physical appearance, such as better job opportunities and higher social status.

Aesthetic Capital vs. Other Forms of Capital

Q: How does aesthetic capital compare to other forms of capital?

A: It differs from financial (wealth), social (connections), political (influence), and content (online presence) capital.

Aesthetic Labor

Q: What is aesthetic labor?

A: The hiring, managing, and evaluating of workers based on appearance, often in service industries.

Working Identity

Q: What does working identity refer to?

A: (Not explicitly covered in the readings, but it likely refers to how individuals develop and adjust their professional personas.)

Passing & Covering

Q: What is covering?

A: Downplaying identity traits (e.g., hair, attire, voice) to fit social or workplace norms, often affecting marginalized groups.

News as Performance

Q: How is news a performance?

A: Journalists use storytelling, emotional cues, and presentation techniques to engage audiences.

Authenticity

Q: How is authenticity constructed?

A: Through strategies like disclosure, spontaneity, and relatability, often to build trust in social media and branding.

Parasocial Relationships

Q: What are parasocial relationships?

A: One-sided relationships where audiences feel connected to media personalities or influencers.

Imagined Audience & Context Collapse

Q: What is the imagined audience?

A: The people we believe we are communicating with online, even if they differ from the actual audience.

Imagined Audience & Context Collapse

Q: What is context collapse?

A: The merging of multiple audiences (friends, family, employers) into a single online space, making self-presentation more complex.

Gatekeeping

Q: How has gatekeeping changed in the digital age?

A: It has shifted from elite media control to social media algorithms and personalized curation, raising concerns about misinformation.

Filterworld, Echo Chambers, and Algorithmic Tyranny

Q: What is Filterworld?

A: A digital landscape where algorithms homogenize content, limiting exposure to diverse perspectives.

Filterworld, Echo Chambers, and Algorithmic Tyranny

Q: What is algorithmic tyranny?

A: Platforms prioritize engagement over quality, forcing creators to conform to trends dictated by algorithms.

Taste

Q: How do algorithms influence taste?

A: They shape personal preferences by curating content, making trends more standardized and less organically developed.