Beyond Goffman’s Dramaturgy (con’d) Social Interaction in Public Places

Beyond Goffman’s Beyond Goffman’s Dramaturgy (con’d)Dramaturgy (con’d)

Social Interaction in Public Social Interaction in Public Places Places

Ethological perspectiveEthological perspective

• study of animals in natural settingsstudy of animals in natural settings

• Never Cry Wolf (participant Never Cry Wolf (participant observation)observation)

• Humans in their “natural settings”?Humans in their “natural settings”?

• Focus on urban societyFocus on urban society

Ethological perspective Ethological perspective (con’d)(con’d)

• Gemeinschaft und GesellschaftGemeinschaft und Gesellschaft– Ferdinand Ferdinand TonniesTonnies– Gemeinschaft = Relationships based on:Gemeinschaft = Relationships based on:

•TraditionTradition

•Kinship, place, and communityKinship, place, and community

•Affect (emotions)Affect (emotions)

– Society is evolving from Gemeinshaft Society is evolving from Gemeinshaft to…to…

Ethological perspective Ethological perspective (con’d)(con’d)• Gesellschaft = relationships based on:Gesellschaft = relationships based on:

– Rationality (rather than affect or feelings)Rationality (rather than affect or feelings)– Means/endsMeans/ends– Associated with urban societyAssociated with urban society– For GoffmanFor Goffman

•““colorless, faceless, odorless anonymous colorless, faceless, odorless anonymous cities”cities”

EthologicalEthological perspective perspective (con’d)(con’d)

• Gesellschaft social order:Gesellschaft social order:– Always fragile Always fragile – Based on trustBased on trust

– We will return to these assumptionsWe will return to these assumptions

Back to Goffman….Back to Goffman….

• Nature of Social Interaction (in Nature of Social Interaction (in public)public)– Focus on strangers (rather than teams)Focus on strangers (rather than teams)– Interaction is fragile Interaction is fragile

•Always on the alert, but must get on with Always on the alert, but must get on with thingsthings

•That is, not give off false alarmsThat is, not give off false alarms

•Example of wildebeests and lionsExample of wildebeests and lions

Nature of Social Interaction (in Nature of Social Interaction (in public) con’dpublic) con’d

– Public interaction based on Public interaction based on trusttrust•Lots of folks in close proximityLots of folks in close proximity

•Chaos without trustChaos without trust

•Paralyzed behaviorally without trustParalyzed behaviorally without trust

•Predictability EssentialPredictability Essential

– Take pedestrian behavior as an exampleTake pedestrian behavior as an example

Nature of Social Interaction (in Nature of Social Interaction (in public) con’dpublic) con’d

• Pedestrian behaviorPedestrian behavior– ““pilot” traversing a hazardous route pilot” traversing a hazardous route – Socially organized based on trustSocially organized based on trust

•Phalanx model of street crossing;Phalanx model of street crossing;

•norms for passing; norms for passing; – eye contact; eye contact; – gender-based maneuvering (back to back) gender-based maneuvering (back to back)

Anyone can do this…Anyone can do this…

Gesellschaft Pedestrian Gesellschaft Pedestrian BehaviorBehavior

• The world’s busiest crosswalkThe world’s busiest crosswalk

New Games Example: New Games Example: CaterpillerCaterpillerRaceRace

Selected Concepts from Selected Concepts from Goffman’s Analysis of Public Goffman’s Analysis of Public BehaviorBehavior• TerritorialityTerritoriality

– Cultural rules for proximity to one Cultural rules for proximity to one anotheranother•ElevatorsElevators

•UrinalsUrinals

Selected Concepts from Selected Concepts from Goffman’s Analysis of Public Goffman’s Analysis of Public BehaviorBehavior• TerritorialityTerritoriality

– Cultural rules for proximity to one Cultural rules for proximity to one anotheranother•Porno shopsPorno shops

•Public transitPublic transit

•Other examples??Other examples??

• Territoriality (con’t)Territoriality (con’t)– Staking a claim in public placesStaking a claim in public places

•Canine markers?Canine markers?

•Human Public Markers?Human Public Markers?– BarsBars– LibrariesLibraries– BeachesBeaches– Other examples??Other examples??

Another Concept from Another Concept from Goffman’s Analysis of Public Goffman’s Analysis of Public BehaviorBehavior• Supportive and Remedial Supportive and Remedial

InterchangesInterchanges– Rituals in public settings Rituals in public settings – demonstrate demonstrate

•““civility” civility”

•the desire to uphold the “sacredness of the the desire to uphold the “sacredness of the interaction.” interaction.”

• Supportive InterchangesSupportive Interchanges– when one offer is accepted or when one offer is accepted or

appropriately acknowledged appropriately acknowledged – Examples?Examples?

•GreetingsGreetings

•SmilesSmiles

•Others??Others??

• Remedial InterchangesRemedial Interchanges– shore up a possibly damaged public shore up a possibly damaged public

relationship relationship – Offender must provide a remedial Offender must provide a remedial

account account •““oops”oops”•““excuse me”excuse me”•““sorry”sorry”•Often in nonverbal formOften in nonverbal form•Other examples??Other examples??

Still Another Concept from Still Another Concept from Goffman’s Analysis of Public Goffman’s Analysis of Public BehaviorBehavior• Tie SignsTie Signs

– Public markers indicating some type of Public markers indicating some type of relationship relationship

– range from nonverbal cues to material range from nonverbal cues to material markersmarkers

– Examples??Examples??

And Yet Another Concept from And Yet Another Concept from Goffman’s Analysis of Public Goffman’s Analysis of Public BehaviorBehavior• Normal AppearancesNormal Appearances

– From ethological perspectiveFrom ethological perspective– Aware of possible danger, but no Aware of possible danger, but no

outward signsoutward signs– Recall wildebeests and lionsRecall wildebeests and lions– An interactional defense mechanism of An interactional defense mechanism of

sortssorts

• Normal AppearancesNormal Appearances (con’d) (con’d)– Some examplesSome examples

•WWII bomb tactics (camel poo)WWII bomb tactics (camel poo)

•LSU experimentsLSU experiments– Bubble gum in public placesBubble gum in public places– Poker in the elevatorPoker in the elevator– Skiing in Baton Rouge, La.Skiing in Baton Rouge, La.

Finally, Two Additional Finally, Two Additional ConceptsConcepts

• Social AlarmsSocial Alarms

• The umweltThe umwelt

• AlarmsAlarms– We are always alert for alarms and “all clear” We are always alert for alarms and “all clear”

signalssignals– People as “alarm relays”People as “alarm relays”

• Flashing headlights for speed trapFlashing headlights for speed trap

• Nonverbal reactions to “trouble”Nonverbal reactions to “trouble”

• Bicycle groups draftingBicycle groups drafting

– Fixed alarmsFixed alarms• Poison containersPoison containers

• Falling rocks signsFalling rocks signs

• Others????Others????

• The “umwelt”The “umwelt”– Another ethological termAnother ethological term– sphere around an individual within which sphere around an individual within which

potential sources of alarm are found potential sources of alarm are found – Elements provide safety or potential Elements provide safety or potential

dangerdanger•Furnished frame provides safetyFurnished frame provides safety

– Walls, roof, etc.Walls, roof, etc.– Restrooms, homes, carsRestrooms, homes, cars

•However……However……

• The “umwelt” (con’d)The “umwelt” (con’d)– Can be “lurk lines”Can be “lurk lines”

•Blind spots (no eyes on back of head)Blind spots (no eyes on back of head)– Behind partitionsBehind partitions– In the darkIn the dark– Movie “Scream”Movie “Scream”

• The “umwelt” (con’d)The “umwelt” (con’d)– Access points to umweltAccess points to umwelt

•Social conventionsSocial conventions– KnockingKnocking– Pulling shadesPulling shades– Others???Others???

Photo Essay on Access Photo Essay on Access PointsPoints

• And finally……..And finally……..