Erving Goffman Flashcards
What is an “Urban Interaction Order”?
It is the set of rules that we voluntarily agree to follow in order to live in mass society, they make interactions smooth, even when surrounded with strangers.
What is an “Unfocused Interaction”?
what can be communicated between persons merely by virtue of their presence together in the same social situation. Being “copresent”.
Give an example of an unfocused interaction
Standing in a queue, waiting for the bus…
What is a “Focused Interaction”?
A special communication license between individuals that sustain a special type of mutual activity that can exclude others who are present in the situation.
What is “civil inattention”?
When one gives to another enough visual notice to demonstrate that one appreciates that the other is present, whiIe at the next moment withdrawing one’s attention from him so as to express that he does not constitute a target of special curiosity or design.
In what way does Goffman’s “civil inattention” differ from Simmel’s “blasé outlook”?
It is a strategic behavior to avoid conflict VS a psychological state by being exposed to heterogeneity
What are the links between incivilities and civil inattention?
1) People have attractive opportunity of breaking the rule, because they will be benefitting from civil inattention
2) Incivilities can have strategic value (ex waitress avoiding eye-contact)
3) Incivilities can happen when ppl don’t know yet the interaction order e.g children (or challenge it– teenagers.)
What are “face engagements”?
Face engagements comprise all those instances of two or more participants in a situation joining each other openly in maintaining a single focus of cognitive and visual attention-what is sensed as a single mutual activity, entailing preferential communication rights.
what are the 3 components that can disturb the Urban Interaction Order?
1) rapid social change
2) Social diversity
3) Technological innovations
